Escapade Bound l Pokeshipping
by MemoryWriter
Summary: With a month left to live, Misty goes back to her old home in the valley for her old friends Ash May & Drew. When they realize only they can see Pokemon, creatures erased from the memories of humans, can they save them before Pokemon disappears forever?
1. Valley

**Here's one of my new stories for the season: Escapade Bound-- MistyXAsh/PokeShipping  
**

**Last minute title I know.**

**But that's beside the point. As of now, I will be adding this story to my stories-to-do-and-finish list, one out of many.  
I feel so disappointed at how many stories I've left unfinished ;_;  
**

**BUT if by some miracle you lovely people who read this chapter actually LIKE this chapter, please review - tell what you like, what you don't like, what you want, what you don't want, your favorite ice cream flavor, my horrible spelling errors, all that jazz.**

**Just let me know if you would like me to continue this one. Thank you!!**

**Oh, and happy spring!  
Feels more like summer though. TOO HOT OUTSIDE.**

* * *

"So I'm... not getting better?" I asked sadly, sitting on the medical check-up bed in the doctor's office with my grandmother. The emotion and feeling of disbelief was present in all parts of me at the moment.

The doctor shook his head sorrowfully. "I'm afraid not." He turned to my grandmother. "At this rate, she only has little time left - a month in the least."

"Oh..." I said, looking downward at my knees. One month? That was short? From a normal point of view a month seemed like a long time, but now, it seemed as short as ten minutes. Could I really live out the rest of my life within the next month?

"Are you sure there is nothing else we can do? Any medication? Any specialists we can see?" My grandma was persistent with the doctor. She was my guardian, my only caretaker.

"I'm sorry, Miss. There's nothing else we can do for your granddaughter." Silence filled the room as the doctor left and shut the door. Its silent knob click echoed throughout the despair-filled room.

"So I only have one month left?" I repeated in disbelief, looking at my hand. This illness, this weak, weak body. Within a month this hand will be pale and as cold as ice, like other dead corpses in history text books and on TV. Why me? Did I do something wrong? Was I being punished?

"No," Grandma aid sternly, making my head shoot up. She knew what was going through my mind were negative thoughts, thoughts of how it was the end of me. "We are going to make the best of these few weeks, so that there are no regrets." She smiled and took my hand. "That's what you always say, right Misty?"

I smiled as well and nodded in remembrance. "Mm."

"So, is there anywhere you want to go?" my grandmother gently asked me, trying to brighten up my mood.

I thought for a moment, long and deep. I had such a short time left, and here I was, being given the opportunity by my grandmother to do whatever I want, wherever I want. Just... what _do_ I want?. "I want.... I want to go back to my old home..."

That night in my bedroom, I sat in my bed under the warm covers, writing in my journal discretely with a small light from my lamp.

_'Dear Journal, I've just got the news from the doctor about my illness. Turns out it's a lot worse than we thought. He said I won't be getting better, and, and I've only got three months left. You wouldn't think this would happen to just anyone, so there must be a reason for this. Maybe this is a good thing? I mean, if it wasn't for my disappearing time, my grandma would've never offered me the opportunity to go back to Caden Valley and see my old friends_.'

I smiled, as I went back to the first page of my journal. On it was a glue-pasted picture of me and my three friends as 4-year olds.

'___You remember Ash, May, and Drew, right? Those guys, I miss them so much. I wonder if they still think of me. At least now I can see them again. Soon_.' A frown appeared on my face as a strange memory returned to my conscience. '___But_ _I also remember that lake in the forest. That strange place... I almost died if it wasn't for those strange ghosts. I remember falling into that lake, and I couldn't swim. Once I started to drown these strange things started to help me up, these ghost creatures. It was too blurry to see through the water, but it was like seeing several small animals, whatever they were. Ever since, I've been ever more curious of that forest behind the old compound. And my fear of water too_...'

A yawn escaped my mouth, signaling me to go to sleep. I closed my journal and I placed it under my pillow. After turning off my lamp I pulled the covers over my shoulders. For the first time in a long time I smiled peacefully in bed, falling into a very comfortable sleep.

"That's your big surprise? Misty's coming back to Caden Valley?" Drew asked in disbelief as he and his two friends stood outside the school, all the other teens exiting the campus.

"What you guys aren't happy?" Ash asked skeptically.

"Well yeah but it's just so unexpected," May said, holding her school bag in front of her. "How long did you know?"

Ash grinned. "I got a letter from her just a few days ago. She said she was moving back here to their old complex with her grandma. She should be arriving on the train today."

Drew scoffed. "Leave it to Misty to still use letters."

May glared at the green-haired boy. "At least we know she probably hasn't changed, mister business man."

"What'd you call me?" Drew said back with a glint in his eye.

"Guys, come on," Ash sweatdrop with waving hands. Though it was no use as the hot-tempered May continued to argue with Drew. He began to speak to himself. "You'd think the news of Misty coming back would at least bring some peace between them. Looks like I thought wrong."

Meanwhile, a young 14-year old red-head sat on a train with her grandmother, traveling through the green pastures. Caden Valley was where young Misty had grown up as a child before she had to move away. And now as a teen, she was coming back. That's me.

"I wonder if any of the others still live there..." Back when I was five, I had three other best friends. But after all these years, you never know what coud've happened. Though I keep hope inside that they're still there, and that they haven't changed.

"I'm sure your friends are still there, Misty," replied my grandmother, making me look away from the train window. "I remember you kids always playing together during the spring. If your friendship is as strong now as it was so long ago I'm sure they're looking forward to your arrival."

"You think so?" I asked with a sympathetic face.

She nodded. "Especially that Ash boy. You did send him your letter didn't you? Oh I recall so many times you two would blush as children-"

"Grandma!" I said out of pure embarrassment. As the loud train pulled to a stop, I realized we had arrived at the train station. It looked different from what I remembered. "Huh? This isn't Caden Valley's Train Station," I said in realization as my grandma and I exited the train.

"This is Caden Valley's new state-of-the-art train station," said one of the workers who greeted and welcomed the new arrivals.

"New train station?" I repeated as my eyes went to explore the place. It looked so high-tech. Metal floors and electronic scanners and gates. "I wonder what happened to the old one."

"You can go look around town if you like, Misty," said my grandma. "You remember where the compound is. You won't get lost will you?"

"Grandma this is my home. Of course I won't get lost!" Oh who am I kidding? Of course I'm gonna get lost. But I'm so curious to find out where the train station is. Reckless, but I was so desperate for freedom ever since... since...

"Bye, Grandma!" I called as I ran out of the city-like train station. Thankfully back outside Caden Valley was still the same. The fresh clean air, the ever-blue skies, the old-fashioned houses and grasses and rivers. "Wow, besides the train station everything looks the same! Hm, and now to find the old one!" I took off towards where the western part of the forest area would be. That's where the old train station was, if I recall right.

Caden Valley is made up of four different places. The western part is made up mostly of forest area, if the rest of the place isn't already. The south, where we are now, is connected to the ocean where the ports are. The north is made of mountainous high areas. The High Peaks are great places to go to for relaxation and hot springs according to rumors anyway. I've never been up to the High Peaks before so I can't say if there are any hot springs. Though it's kinda dangerous so not a lot of people go there, as far as I know. And lastly, the east and center of Caden valley is made up of the town where the houses and other buildings are.

"Geez, you'd think I'd at least know where the train station is," I muttered to myself as I wandered the boundaries of town. "If I don't find that place soon I'm giving up."

"Hey little girl!" yelled a voice, making me turn around. I saw a man. Not one of the most trusting-looking people. "You new in town?"

"Who wants to know?" I said assertively with a step backwards. I found him take a step forward for each one I took back. It didn't take long for me to process this through my mind and start to run, the guy chasing after me. And I thought events like this only happened in the city, much less a little country town. Eventually I ran up all the way to the east part of the valley in the woods section. As I ran for my life, breath quickly depleted from my lungs. "Ah! This isn't how I wanted to spend my first day!"

"Misty!" shouted a familiar voice. I looked to the side and saw something running behind the trees. A boy with a cap on. I focused my eyes to see through the multiple tree trunks and recognized the boy's face.

I gasped. "Ash!"

He jumped through the trees and ended up running beside me. "Come on! We'll loose that punk!"

He took my hand and speed up on his feet, taking me with him. As we got faster lost the man who was chasing me. Made me wonder what was more surprising, seeing Ash again or having a complete and total stranger chase after me for who knows what.

"Come on, Misty!" Ash shouted, laughing now a bit. Was he enjoying this goose chase? Well, same old Ash I think. Near the boundaries of the woods we arrived in the old train station, the one made mostly of wood. No one was present, though. Was it closed down?

"What happened to this place?" I asked curiously as we walked up the five stairs and onto the platform to catch our breaths.

"They closed this one not to long ago and reopened the new one near the ports," Ash informed me. "Hey at least we can come here without being chased out by security guards."

I chuckled and turned around. "It's great to see you again, Ash."

"You to Misty," Ash smiled. He still had that goofy grin he was trying to hide.

"Hey, you've gotten taller," I said to start conversation, measuring our height with my hand.

Ash scoffed and turned away with crossed arms. "I've always been taller than you."

"Right," I said sarcastically with a smile. I felt this fuzzy feeling inside me. That was a phrase people said, 'fuzzy'. I never quite caught on with what that meant, but I knew I had it.

"Ah shut up," Ash laughed to my sarcastic remark, kiddingly punching my arm. We walked to the edge of the train station platform and Ash jumped off, his dirty sneakers landing on the dirt ground of the woods. He helped me down as well and with that we ran off back to town, hopefully with no more creeps around the corner.

"So how old are you now, 14?" Ash asked with his arms crossed behind his head in a carefree manner.

"Duh we're the same age remember?" I reminded as we walked through Caden Valley. The north paths were lines with grass, and there was a blue flowing river at the side. It wouldn't be long until we wandered into the valley's town.

"I remember. But you're two months older than me so I just wanna make sure," Ash said as he adjusted his cap.

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever. So how are May and Drew? They're still here, right?"

"Yup. Lucky for us spring vacation's just started, so now we can all catch up without the nuisance of homework or tests."

My lips formed into a small reminicing smile. "I don't know about you, but I kinda miss school."

"Oh man you're a book worm now?" Ash asked jokingly.

"Very funny. And no. It's just... it's been a while since I went to school."

Ash blinked in confusion. "Hm? Why? Were you on vacation, too?"

I shouldn't tell him. "Yeah... A real long vacation."

"Huh?? Lucky!" Ash said with a blissful pout. I only chuckled at his expression. It was nice to be happy, even if it would only be for a little while. If only he knew... No. It's best no one knew.

However our conversation was cut short when we saw something in the distance. There was a boy and a girl near a small ice cream parlor, sitting at a white table under one of those huge sun umbrellas. They were eating ice cream with each other and conversing with each other.

"They look so familiar," I said out loud.

"Who?" Ash asked before following my his eye widened in gleeful happiness. "Hey it's May and Drew! Come on!" Ash and I ran towards the ice cream parlor and the two teens at the table looked up, seeing us. Were they really May and Drew? They've changed a lot, in appearance at least.

"Misty is that you?" May asked in disbelief as Ash and I arrived at their table from where they sat.

I put up a smile to hide my tiredness from the previous running. "Yup. Hi May."

"Oh my gosh it's really you!" May squealed from her seat, still holding her ice cream cone.

"I found her at the old train station," Ash informed the group.

"That old place?" Drew asked. "Wow, that'd be the last place I'd ever look. No one ever goes into the forest, especially now that the train station's closed."

"People still think the forest is haunted?" I asked, remembering old childhood ghost stories.

May, Drew, and Ash nodded their heads. From my past here I remembered that not a lot of residents from Caden Valley went to the forest because there's been reports of 'ghostly or spiritual' presences. Whether to believe them or not was up to us, but i had much doubt the place was haunted. The only real reason residents ever went out there was because of transpiration form the old train.

"So, are you guys on a date?" Ash interrogated with a suspicious face as he eyed May and Drew, making my eyebrows raise. They were dating? However that thought was cut short when May threw her ice cream cone at Ash's face, surprising me.

"Don't think so idiotically!" May snapped, standing with her fists as Drew and I blinked. But I couldn't help but notice a small tint of red on Drew's face, as well as May.

Drew recovered first with an embarrassed sigh. "Sorry Misty for this. Ash can be a bit of a moron every now and then."

"Then I guess some things are still the same then after all," I said with a smile.

"H-Hey!" Ash snapped at me with a fist, only making us all laugh as Ash continued to scold us, or at least try to scold us. But this laughter, exactly how long would it last?


	2. Assignment

**Okay, I got my first review. ^^  
Critique. Finally something. I know it's been a while. I got lazy :/**

**It's in this chapter I mention the Pokemon's role in the story. I probably should've included it in the first chapter but I thought it might be too long. Heeeh. Anyway here's chapter 2!**

* * *

"So Misty how've you been?" Drew asked to change the subject. We were all now sitting under the umbrella with _new_ orders of ice cream. Ash had wiped the previous ice cream thrown at his face by May off with napkins we found.

"I'm doing good," I nodded in reply. "What about Caden Valley? Has anything changed since I left?"

A short silence. The three others present exchanged looks, as if telepathically exchanging thoughts with one another. "Actually, Caden Valley isn't exactly in its prime right now," May quickly told me.

"Why? What happened?"

"Our new mayor made plans to re-make the entire valley into a city and to tear down the forest," Ash grumbled aggravatingly, shooting the dirty napkins into the distant trash bin with ease. "He wants to industrialize the entire place. How he was even elected mayor I'll never know."

"That's terrible," I said with a face. "He can't change just Caden Valley."

"He can. He's the mayor," Drew said, flipping his green hair from his seat. "He's already closed down the old train station and opened up the new one."

"I started a petition for signatures to go against the mayor's plan," May started up. "All of us tried to get signatures around school."

"Did you guys get enough?"

"Unfortunately May and I had no luck. Apparently some people are actually _with_ the valley's plans to convert into a city. Then there are some kids who are just too scared to sign," Ash explained, leaning on one leg with crossed arms. "However pretty boy over there got a lot of signatures from the girls," he added lastly, looking at Drew.

"Like it's my fault the girls will do whatever I say?" Drew said cockily, making May roll her eyes. "But besides that, those girls didn't really sign because they wanted to save the valley. They only signed because I asked them to."

"Wow," I said with a face.

"I'm afraid we're some of the only ones who really want to keep Caden Valley the way it is," May said with a sigh and an annoyed expression. "At least you're here, Misty. So I guess spring break won't be all bad. We can make some od the valley's last days real memorable for all of us. "

I made a half-spirited smile at her. I didn't want to say I was satisfied with what I've heard, but who would anyway?

That night, I was in my house in my bedroom. This old Japanese-themed compound belonged to my parents when we lived here nine years ago. I took out my journal from my bag beside my bed. It was time to write again, one of the bright points of the day.

'_Hey_ _Journal, we're finally back here in Caden Valley. It's a dream come true! Ash, Drew, and May haven't changed one bit, and they're still my best friends. Isn't that great? But now the valley's in danger thanks to the new mayor, whoever that happens to be. I may not have seen him yet, but he gives me such a bad vibe. Oh, I wish there was some way I could help, but what can I do? It's great to see my friends and all, but to know that this place once called my home will be destroyed, maybe it was better off not knowing. Even so, I may not be here for too long, but I know I can't let this place disappear. I can't_

My pen came to a halt. A voice called my name. A deep voice. "Oh now what?" I closed my journal quickly and hopped out of bed, going over to my window. I lifted open its wooden frame and stuck my head out of it, feeling a sudden cold breeze. "It better not be another creep. I've had enough with just one chasing me."

"_Misty_," called the same sound. It sounded gruff and weary. "_Follow my voice_."

It didn't say anything else, but when I narrowed my eyes, the first thing I saw was a huge tree in perfect view outside my window out in a distance. It was the biggest tree located in the center of the park according to Ash. I couldn't help but feel like the voice was coming from there, like it was calling me, like it was pulling me. Paranoid much? I bit my lips and sighed, turning around afterwards. I put on my sweater and took a flashlight from my still unpacked bags. Guess the only way to find out if that voice is from that tree is to go to it. Man I must be more ill than I thought. I'm thinking a tree is talking to me.

Sneaking quietly out of the compound, I took my run to the park. No one was out, and fire flies flew around the flew black iron lampposts and lanterns under people's houses to keep me company. Wind chimes could be heard throughout the valley to make me feel at peace. During the night, that's when the wind would always pick up. So if you ever go out at night, that's what you'll hear.

"I made it," I said aloud and out of breath, arriving in the center of the park. The tree was just growing light green leaves and some pink buds, awaiting the full sun of spring. But at the same time, I saw Ash, May, and Drew arrive at the same time. At first I figured it was a huge coincidence when I shone my flashlight to make sure, and to catch their attention. "Guys? What are you doing here?"

"What are _you_ doing here?" Ash said back, surprised to see everyone himself.

"I heard this weird voice call me from my bedroom," May said confusedly. "Thought I'd check it out."

"Same here," Drew agreed as the four of us came together.

"How strange," May said, feeling goosebumps form on her arms. "You guys don't think it's a ghost, do you?"

"Come on May ghosts don't exist," Drew opposed with that look.

"Hey you never know," Ash shrugged with a grin and a short laugh. "Who knows? Maybe it is a ghost calling us! That sounds pretty cool if you ask me."

"Well no one asked you!" May retorted, becoming scared, if she wasn't already. As May expressed her emotions of fear I heard something ruffle through the grass. I looked over my friends' shoulders and saw some loose leaves fall out of the tree. Was something up there?

"Guys?" I called quietly, catching their attention. "Did you see that?"

"I don't see anything," Drew said as all four of us looked towards the tree. But at the same time a strange creature hopped out, surprising us. May and I had made a yelping sound all of us taking at least one step back. It had blue fur and something like a black mask over its red eyes, if it was even a mask. It seemed to resemble something of a jackal. It had black paws and stood up like a human. It had three spikes as well, two on its hand-paws, and another on its yellow chest.

"What kind of animal is that?" Ash said in surprise as I dropped my flashlight.

"I don't know but I can't run," May said in a high-pitched voice.

"Why not," I asked nervously.

"Because I can't feel my legs!"

"_You four_," it said without moving its mouth. Maybe it was psychic? "_You are Misty, Ash, May, and Drew. Am I correct_?"

"Y-Yeah," Ash spoke up for us. What I'd like to know is how does it know our names? Isn't that the obvious thing to ask? "And who are you?" Yeah ask that instead.

"_I, am Lucario, guardian of the Pokemon in Caden Valley_."

"Pokemon?" I repeated with a tilted head as I hugged my sleeve-covered arms for warmth. "What's that?"

Lucario eyed us four teens eerily. "_Once long ago, creatures called Pokemon once existed and lived in peace with the humans here on Earth. These Pokemon came in all shapes and sizes in different species. Hundreds even_."

"Really?" May asked, intrigued by Lucario's tale of these 'Pokemon'.

He nodded. "_However, due to a group of evil humans, they had taken over the lives of the Pokemon in this world. And so to stop it all, I erased the humans memories of Pokemon. All those 'unpure' were unable to see the Pokemon, who were to remain invisible to the human world for many centuries to come_."

"Hold on a minute," Drew started. "That's an interesting story and all, but who are we to believe you? We don't even know you!"

"_I don't know you, either. Yet here I am_," Lucario remarked. "_I did come to you for a reason_."

"And that reason is?" Drew asked with an arched eyebrow. "Why come to us for help if us 'humans' can't see Pokemon?"

"_Because _y_our four, aren't impure like those evil humans. _You _are pure hearted. _You_ can see Pokemon_."

"We? A-As in us?" Ash repeated in clarification.

Lucario nodded. "_Yes. Ever since those times, all the Pokemon have migrated here to Caden Valley, the birthplace of Pokemon itself_."

That explains the forest. Those ghost that helped me to shore. They weren't ghosts, they were Pokemon creatures. "Wait a minute," I interrupted, worry rising up in me somewhere. "The valley is going to be re-developed into a city."

"Oh yeah!" Ash remembered. "What'll happen to the Pokemon?"

"_I'm afraid of the worst_," Lucario said with closed eyes. "_And that is why I have called your four to this place at this time. You can see Pokemon, and therefore you are the only ones who can save them, before they disappear forever_."

"What do you expect us to do?" May asked. "I mean we're just kids. Isn't this a job for the adults or authority figures. I mean if an entire species is going to be wiped out shouldn't someone know?"

"May weren't you listening? The adults won't go along with a crazy story like this," Drew said before looking back at Lucario. "But then again, it's not like _we're_ gonna go along with it either. We're not that gullible."

"Oh come on Drew have a heart," said Ash..

"What I do have is a brain," Drew answered with crossed arms.

"But, say Lucario's story _is_ true," I told hesitantly. I looked at the strange animal. "What do we have to do?"

"_Before Caden Valley disappears, you must find the seventeen types of Pokemon, and once you have found them all, gather them here_."

"Seventeen types?" Drew repeated. "What are those?"

"The types I speak of are Water, Steel, Rock, Psychic, Poison, Normal, Ice, Ground, Grass, Ghost, Flying, Fire, Fight, Electric, Dragon, Dark, and Bug. Find and earn the trust of these Pokemon. I trust you four will not fail me."

"Hey slow down I didn't get that all!" Ash panicked with a notepad. Just where on earth did he get that? However Lucario disappeared with its quick speed and agility, as if he had disappeared into thin air. "H-He's gone!"

"What just happened?" May asked unsure.

I looked down and picked up my flashlight., which I had dropped previously. "Whatever just happened, it looks like Lucario's counting on us to save his friends, and Caden Valley."

"So we're really gonna do this?" May asked to make sure.

"I don't see why not," I smiled. "Those Pokemon saved me when I was a kid, now that I think about it."

"What do you mean, Misty?" Ash asked.

"Back when I was a little girl, I went into that haunted forest and found a lake. I guess fell in and almost drowned, but, I think it was the Pokemon there who helped bring me back up to the surface."

"Really?" May asked. "Wow."

"You never told me this," Ash spoke up.

"Why would I want to talk about it? And who'd believe me? Even up to now I still don't get it," I said with some aggravation. "But after listening to Lucario... I'll help him."

"Me too," May nodded, putting a comforting and determined arm around my shoulders. "And you guys?"

"No question about it. I'm in," Ash smiled. We all then turned our heads towards a reluctant Drew.

Finally he let out a sigh. "I still find this all hard to believe," Drew started, "but if it means even having the slightest chance of saving Caden Valley, I'm in."

"Alright! Looks like we're spending our spring vacation catching Pokemon!" Ash cheered into the quiet night aiir. "Could this get any better? Not even the first official day of break and already we have an adventure!"

"Ash really hasn't changed, huh," I laughed next to Drew and May.

"Nope," May said, shaking his head with a smile.

"Sadly," Drew finished.

After our little gathering at the park we had all decided to go home and sleep on it. We'd have better thinking skills in the morning. Ash had volunteered to walk me back to my place. "Thanks for walking me home, Ash," I said as we arrived outside my house. I doubted by grandmother would be awake at this time, but for some reason I tried to remain quiet.

"It's fine. Think of it as my non-material welcome gift," Ash laughed lightly before looking at my house. You know, sometimes I forget how big your place used to be. With it so close to to the forest no one really comes over here anymore."

"That explains all the dust here when we moved back in, then," I smiled with a shy laugh. This was a nice moment. However we heard a rustle in the bushes behind the house, and Ash stood protectively in front of me. It was sudden, but I appreciated his assertiveness. Although our alertness was put to waste when we saw a small creature emerge form the bushes and leaves of the shadows from the forest. It was a rather cute creature, about a foot tall and it had an eggshell body and small stubs for arms.

"Togepiiii!" it chirped gleefully.

"W-Wha...?" Ash stuttered as the both of us put our guard down. We were scared of that? "What is that?"

"You think it's one of the Pokemon Lucario talked about?"

"Maybe," Ash said with a squint in his eye as we walked towards it.

"Togepii!" it cheered, running up to me and jumping into my arms.

"Wow, for a little one you sure are fast," I smiled. It continued saying that one word, Togepi. It seemed so comfortable in my grasp. "Aw how cute!"

"I wonder what type it is," Ash said, coming up close to the small thing. He took out that note pad from before. "We have a long way to go."

"Whatever it is I guess we're keeping it. One down, sixteen left to look for."

"On a brighter side, what's its name?" Ash asked as Togepi played with Ash's offered hand.

"Huh?"

"Well you gotta call it somethin'," Ash pointed out. It chirped 'toge togepiiii!' again.

"Well for one it's not an 'it'," I began with a look.

"Well I'd use 'her' or 'his' but apparently I can't tell," Ash argued as I looked at the apparent Pokemon. How _do_ you tell anyway? "Do they even _have_ genders?"

"I don't know about that factor but I think I've got a name," I smiled. "What about Togepi?"

"Togepi?"

"Yeah. It's all this little cutie can say anyway," I said as I cooed with it. "Alright then Togepi looks like you're stayin' with us." I looked back up at Ash. "I better get inside before my grandma finds out I'm missing. You better head home, too. Don't wanna get grounded by your mom on the first day of vacation now would you?"

"Got'cha," Ash nodded. "Night Misty, night Togepi."

"Good night," Misty said quietly as Ash set down the dirt path back into town. Togepi chirped form my arms and I looked down at it. "Yeah, he is a good friend."

* * *

**Well yeah. There's the main story. I understand if it's kinda OC-ish, but I really like it. I wrote the original format thinking of my old friends and how we used to fan-scream over Pokemon. **

**Anyway even if this story doesn't take off well, I'm still gonna keep writing it. It's what kept me busy all spring vacation a few months ago and I'm happy. I'm half done writing it on wordpad, so I'm just praying nothing bad happens to the file until the end. Later!**


	3. Hiking

"So it's a Togepi?" Drew asked, all of us by the ports. We were hanging out by some huge cargo boxes, away from the sight of the workers. "That Pokemon's puny compared to Lucario."

"Shut up Drew. Size doesn't matter, especially since this one's so cute," May smiled, playing with Togepi.

Drew scoffed with crossed arms. "Whatever."

"So your grandma didn't see it?" Ash asked me.

I shook my head. "I don't think so. I hide Togepi as best I could, but I guess in the end it won't really matter. Remember what Lucario said? Only we can see the Pokemon. So maybe it won't be a problem keeping the Pokemon we find in our homes." The sound of cargo moving on the harbor filled our ears. It was relaxing at the same time as well.

"Anyway, where else can we find these Pokemon?" Drew asked us. "'Cause let's be honest. We have absolutely no idea what we're doing."

"And I don't think we can find them just anywhere," Ash said, looking up at the sky and seeing the birds. "If we can see Pokemon, and we haven't seen them at all all out lives, it can't be easy to find them."

"Then explain Togepi," May said as it played with a toy ball we got from the pet store.

I sighed. "I wish we had more information about this. It'd really help."

"Why don't we just go to your grandma?" Ash suggested from his relaxed position, sittign in the shade. "Wasn't she the town psychic when we were little?"

"Oh yeah," I said with an annoyed face. "Not that again."

"Aw come on, Misty. We can trust your grandma!" Ash encouraged.

"But do we really have to tell her?" I asked. "I mean, when she was in the psychic business it really creeped me out." I reminisced about the crystal balls and the tarrot reads she'd do. She'd sense scary spirits and creep me out beyond the hairs on my neck on more occasions than one.

"What other choice do we have?" Drew pointed out. "We don't know what these pokemon are capable off. It wouldn't be exactly wise to just start looking for them on our own without any back-up information."

"Oh please. What's the worse these things could do?" I said stubbornly. And as if on cue, to prove me wrong, Togepi's arms started to glow at its tips. Togepi began to wave its arms and chanting something while smiling, causing us to look at it. "W-What's Togepi doing?"

"TOGEPRIIIIII!" The lights on its arms glowed brighter. Suddenly one of the boxes nearby exploded, catching much attention from workers on the port.

"D-Did Togepi just do that?" Ash asked in bewilderment.

"I don't know but I don't wanna stick around to find out," Drew said with a mischievous smirk. "Come on lets' run for it!"

Picking up Togepi, the others and I ran from the scene to avoid getting caught and in trouble. "Hey you kids get back here!" Laughter filled the air as we dashed off. It was just like the old days. Running around to the western forest area, we took a rest in the middle of a path, my compound up ahead. Ash and May collapsed as Drew leaned on his knees with his hands. I fell to my knees, still holding Togepi closely to my arms.

"Togepi, you're just full of surprises aren't you?" I said with a face, but little baby Togepi merely smiled and coneinued to say what it always says.

"Togepriiiii!"

Opening the door to my house, we walked in. Our shoes were off to the side as a sign of respect for the household.

"How traditional," May said as we looked around my house. Its decoration was simple and quaint, giving the place a roomy feeling.

"It's been a while since we've been here. Almost a decade," Ash added.

"Grandma are you here?" I called into the house.

"I'm in the kitchen, dear," said her voice. We walked to the kitchen and found her brewing something over the stove. She looked over and saw me with my friends. "Ash, Drew, May, I've been expecting you."

"You have?" Ash asked nervously.

"Well Misty came back here to Caden Valley mainly to see all of you. It doesn't surprise me you'd all visit. Hm?" She looked at my arms. "Is, is that a Togepi?"

All of us gasped as we looked at Togepi, who began to chirp happily from my grasp. "You mean you can see it?" Drew asked my grandmother.

"I may be old but I'm not blind," she said with a pout as she turned off the stove. She hid her hands in her kimono sleeves and walked up to me and my friends. "It's fate that the two of us returned to this valley, Misty. You are all looking for the Pokemon, right?"

"Yeah but, how do you know about the Pokemon, Grandma?" I asked confused.

We all sat around the living room at the small table with freshly brewed tea from my grandmother. "As you all know, I used to be the local psychic of the valley. My abilities granted me insights into the past. And more specifically, past lives."

"Past lives?" we all asked.

"I remember my past life," my grandmother sighed with closed eyes. "I was a Pokemon trainer in that life. I had trained with a Pokemon of my own. Oh how I loved those adventures. Traveling, battling, enjoying life like an adventure." Her eyes opened. "But enough of that. You are looking for Pokemon, yes?"

"Do you know where we can find some?" Ash asked.

"Caden Valley is the only place in the world where Pokemon reside now. Those with evil in their hearts can not see them, and so the Pokemon hide in desolate places."

"Like the forest where Togepi came from," I said in realization

"Ash, are you interested in an Electric-type Pokemon?" my grandma asked, knowing Ash's reaction.

"Electric? Sounds awesome!" Ash said all hyped up.

"I've done readings with my crystal ball about the mountains up north. I was told that a Pokemon sits atop the High Peaks. Long ago the poor creature's trainer had its memory erased, and so now it waits for the return of its trainer."

"Oh yeah," May said. "Lucario said that it erased the memories of all humans of Pokemon. And that Pokemon's been waiting all this time, too."

"Well it won't be waiting for much longer," Ash said determined, standing up. "Let's go, gang!"

"Ash don't be so haste," Drew said with an embarrassed look. "Didn't you hear Misty's grandmother? It's an Electric type Pokemon. Do you have any idea what it could be capable of?"

"Oh come on, Drew. It's just electricity," Ash assured.

"Over-confidence is never a good thing," my grandmother commented.

"She's right," I nodded. "We'll go together. And we'll bring Togepi, too."

"Togepi?" Ash repeated. How's Togepi gonna help? I't's better off staying here in your place for safety."

"Don't forget that big explosion Togepi did back down at the port," May reminded with an annoyed look towards Ash, her hands on her hips. "And you're saying it'll be no help?"

"We don't even know _how_ Togepi caused that explosion!" Ash reminded with a flail of his arms.

"Well Togepi, do you wanna come up to the mountains with us?" I asked with a sweet smile. It replied positively from my question. "Looks like Togepi's coming with us whether you like it or not, Ash."

"You've gotta be kidding me," Ash groaned. he then plaed his hand on his forehead. "Fine. I guess there's not helping it, huh."

Drew chuckled, closing his eyes. "Nice way to make an argument."

"Be quiet, you!" Ash glared.

"If you are all going I suggest you be extra careful. A rain storm is coming this afternoon," my grandma advised. "It'd be best you travel with caution. I'll await your return."

* * *

"So... the High Peaks..." I said as we stood at the bottom. Togepi was hidden in my bag. "Have you guys ever been up there, before?"

"Nope," May answered with a shaking head. "My parents say its too dangerous."

"Mine too," Drew added.

"So did my Mom," Ash sighed. "But if we wanna find that electric Pokemon up there, then we've gotta go."

Climbing the High Peaks was easier said than done. First we went through climbing up the rocks. Then once we got to solid ground we had to walk along the ledges. Thank heavens there's no strong winds during the day. By now we were merely taking a route through the mountain. As we walked Togepi's head popped out of my bag from behind. "Togi?"

"Hm? What's the matter Togepi?" May asked, she and I looked at Togepi, who glanced upwards. The two of us looked up as well and saw gray clouds starting to form in the skies. "I guess your grandma was right about that rain storm."

"You're right," I said with an upset face. Suddenly we saw a bolt of lightning appear in the sky as well, startling May and I.

"Misty did she say anything about a thunder storm?" May asked in a worried high pitched voice.

I gulped. "No. Hey Ash! Drew!"

The two boys stopped in their walk and turned around. It appears May and I were a bit behind. "What is it?" the two asked.

"Maybe we should stop now. May and I just saw lightning."

"Lightning?" Drew repeated. The two boys looked up and saw only the forming rain clouds.

"Misty I know your grandma said there was gonna be a rain storm but we don't have to worry about any thunder," Ash said.

"No we really saw lightning," May defended.

"Are you just being scared, May?" Drew teased.

"AM NOT!" May snapped, Drew's comment activating her temper.

"Wanna say that again?" Drew smirked.

"Quit TOYING WITH ME!" May said as her's and Drew's forwards smacked together, lightning glares shooting through their rivaling eyes.

I sighed. "I've got a bad feeling about this."

"I always get a bad feeling whenever May and Drew argue," Ash added. "It's like an omen," he said teasingly but truthfully.

I felt Togepi's head jump. "Togeprii! Togepi togepi!"

May and Drew quieted down and Ash and I looked up. Rain began to pour from the skies. First a very mild rain, and then suddenly a huge downpour. All of us put our arms up in an attempt to protect ourselves from the rain. Luckily I spotted a small pile of rocks that could act as a shelter for us. "Quick this way!" As we ran for the small rock fort, we sat down under it, partly drenched and soaked in water. Togepi's head once again popped out of my bag, seeing the rain was gone at the moment.

"Is everyone alright?" I asked, squeezing my ponytail at the side of my head to get the water out.

"I've been better," Drew replied.

"Ditto," May added, untying her trademark bandanna to let her hair dry.

"Here," Ash said, taking off his zipped up jacket. He handed it to me. "You keep yourself and Togepi dry. I'm gonna go out there and look for that Electric Pokemon."

"Ash hold on a minute," May called after him. "It's too dangerous!"

"And that's exactly why I've gotta find that Pokemon. It must be getting drenched out there!"

"But Ash you heard my grandma. That Pokemon's only gonna go with it's original trainer! What makes you think it'll listen to you?"

"You know it could attack you," Drew further warned. "Let's just hide here until the rain passes."

"But if we wait to long the Pokemon might run off somewhere," Ash argued.

"Ash the thing stayed up here for who knows how many years! I doubt it'll run off anywhere," May said.

"Whatever! I've gotta try," Ash said determined, running out of the small shelter and out into the rain. He darted up the path that would take him to the top of the High Peaks, making it all the more dangerous with the storm. The High Peaks were the tallest parts of Caden Valley, not to mention the most vulnerable to lightning.

"That idiot," Drew said with gritting teeth. "He won't stand a chance against that electric Pokemon alone. And with the storm and everything..."

Narrowing my eyes, I removed my bag holding little Togepi and gave it to May. "You guys stay here and take care of Togepi. I'll go out and look for Ash."

"Not you, too," Drew said in disbelief as May looked at Togepi in surprise.

"We'll come back soon," I smiled, putting my arms through Ash's sweater for cover from the rain.

"May come back!" Drew and May shouted from the shelter. Ignoring their cries I took my run on the same route Ash did. And just as I feared, I saw a bolt of lightning lighten up the sky, only heightening my worry.

"Ash please be alright."

"PIKACHUUUU!" All of a sudden I saw a sudden discharge of electricity from up high, like a volcano erupting lava. I came to a halt as I watched the strange occurrence of nature. It was quick and bright, but I saw it long enough to know that was no ordinary lightning strike.

"W-What was that just now?" I said, looking back up as the electricity disappeared. Running again I arrived at the very top of the High Peaks. It was a wide open platform of rocks and dirt, and on a boulder stood a small yellow mouse-like creature, trying to cover itself from the rain with its small hands. Although, its face held one of anger and fear, as if it were afraid of Ash. Speaking of Ash, I saw him trying to stand up. He looked a bit shaken up from whatever just hit him. "Ash!" I cried, running to him.

"Misty what are you doing here?" Ash asked, getting to his knees and I put my arms around his shoulders and helped him stand.

"You can't just run up here all alone without a plan, you idiot!" We both looked at the yellow creature. "What... What is that?"

"That's the electric Pokemon," Ash told me. "It's not very fond of me."

"Clearly," I said with an accusing face. "Let's come back and try again when the storm's gone okay-"

"No," Ash interrupted with a glare in his eye. The tone of his voice had shocked me as well. "That Pokemon, I can't leave it all alone up here!"

"Ash what are you talking about?"

Ash looked down. I saw small rain drops fall from the tips of his black hair under his cap. "I don't know why but...I feel like I know this Pokemon from somewhere." Ash stood up and started limping towards the boulder that the yellow Pokemon rested upon. It opened its eyes and growled.

"PIKACHUU!" It shot a bolt of thunder towards Ash and missed him narrowly by an inch. I couldn't go to help him here. Somehow, this was his fight.

"Pikachu calm down! We're not here to hurt you!" I was surprised that Ash had learned the creature's name. He shouted through the falling rain more words of comfort for the Pokemon.

"Ash be careful!" I called again from where I stood. Pikachu was still firing un-aimed lightning strikes on the mount of the peaks. And not only from the Pokemon, but also I saw bolts of lightning fire down from the rain clouds as well.

"Pikachu come on! It's too dangerous up here!" Ash called. Slowly and carefully, Ash made his way to the yellow Pokemon. The small creature kept its position laying on the boulder with his hands covering his ears and head. I saw another bolt of lightning about to strike the Pokemon.

"Ash look out!" At that Ash jumped for the Pikachu and took it into his arms, shielding it from the lightning strike. I heard him scream as the thunder spread through his body.

My eyes had widened. "ASH!"

As he took the hit, the weakened yellow Pokemon opened its eyes to see the stranger protecting it. It reminded the Pikachu of a fond memory of its old trainer when they first met. Its trainer once protected it from a flock of attacking winged Pokemon. "Pika...?"

Eventually the lightning had come to a halt and Ash collpased off the boulder, landing on the ground the gorund with the Pokemon still in his arms protected. "No Ash!" I ran across the field and to him. I saw some bruises on his skin while his cap and bangs covered his eyes. "Oh man..." On the brighter side, the lightning let up and the raining ceased as well from the sky. The yellow Pokemon in Ash's arms opened its eyes and let its arm down off its head. Its pointy yellow and black ears perked up and it looked at Ash and me.

"Pika?..."

"Hey there little guy," I greeted gently. "Don't worry. Everything will be okay from here on out."

"Pika... chu?" The Pokemon looked at Ash and began to lick the bruise on his arm. "Pikachu..."

Ash's eyes began to open, much to the relief of the Pokemon and me. "Misty?"

"Ash you're awake!" I said, wiping my eyes.

"Pika pi!" cheered Pikachu.

"That electric Pokemon," Ash added tiredly. After a few seconds he smiled, and petted its head. "Good to see you happy again, Pikachu."

"Pikachu?" I repeated.

"Each Pokemon's gotta have a name, right? And it seems 'Pikachu' is the only thing this little guy can say," Ash said, sitting back up with a small amount of pain. "Well Pikachu, welcome to the gang."

"Pika!" It made a cute puring sound and then started to snuggle with Ash's face, making him laugh. I smiled as well, until we heard our names being called.

"Ash! Misty!" We turned around and saw May running up to us with Togepi in her arms. Drew was running not too far behind her.

"Guys," Ash said surprisingly.

"May, Drew, I thought you guys were gonna be waiting for us back at those rocks," I told, standing up.

"May here ran out the instant the thunder stopped. I told her we should've waited," Drew began before May could speak.

"Hmph," she said with a stubborn turn of her head. "Then why did you follow me huh?" she said in an accusing tone, like she's won the argument.

Drew scoffed and flipped his hair, turning the other way. "I only ran after you because you had Togepi. If it got hurt then I know we'd get blamed for it."

"Riight," Ash smiled slyly.

"Shut it, Ash," Drew gritted through his teeth with the same glare.

"So who's this Pokemon?" May asked, kneeling beside me as Pikachu hopped onto Ash's shoulder.

"Our newest Pokemon, Pikachu," Ash smiled. "Pikachu I'm Ash. This is Misty, May, and Drew."

"Pikapika Chu!"

"Aw another cutie!" May squealed with folded hands.

"Is that all you ever look for in a Pokemon?" Drew commented with a sweatdrop at the brunette, though she didn't seem to hear his remark.

I smiled and looked back at Ash. "Please don't do anything so rash next time. You had me worried."

"Heh, sorry Misty," Ash apologized as Pikachu played with Togepi. "It's just, I feel like I had come kind of connection with Pikachu, you know?"

"Um, not really, Ash," I replied with a slight chuckle.

Ash shrugged. "Never mind. That lightning probably made me a bit loopy for a while. Forget it."

"Sure, blame the lightning," I said teasingly, waving my hand.

"Hey I heard that!" Ash snapped, only for the rest of us to laugh while Ash tried to defend himself.

* * *

"Pika Pika!"

"Togepriiiiii!"

The four of us sat at the ice cream parlor at sunset, enjoying ice cream while Pikachu and Togepi played together, invisible to the by passers who came by. How strange it was, to see something other people could not.

"What a crazy day," Drew commented, eating his chocolate ice ream.

"I know right?" I agreed. "Makes me wonder what other kind of Pokemon we'll have to find."

"Don't remind me," Ash sighed, remembering the past days' events, making me and Drew laugh.

"But now it also makes me wonder about your grandma, Misty," May spoke up, having not touched his vanilla ice cream. "Your grandma said she remembers her past life with her Pokemon, right?"

I nodded my head. "Yeah, what about it?"

"See, after hearing her say that, I kind of wondered... Like... Do you think that _we_ could've ever had past lives with the Pokemon...?"

"Oh come on May that's ridiculous," Drew denied, holding his spoon.

"But it sounds pretty cool if you ask me," Ash grinned. "I can see it now: in a world where Pokemon really do exist for everyone."

"Who knows. Maybe if we help Lucario that dream could become reality someday." I looked over at Pikachu and Togepi chasing each other in a game of tag. "We _will_ make that dream reality. I just know it."

* * *

**There's Chapter 3.**

**The Electric Pokemon Pikachu - our 2nd Pokemon found.  
I couldn't resist. **

**Nontheless this story's going just fine. I don't have too much writter's block for this one at this point. Please review if you can though! I only got two reviews so far, but hey really motivate me. Perhaps if I get more reviews I'll be prompted too update more? I don't know how it goes. **

**But either way enjoy the summer! Don't stay in the sun too long. You're be fried. Bad. **

**Later. **


	4. Slumber

At the moment, the others and I were at a local Japanese restaurant stand near the outskirts of town. I was sitting on one side of the table next to May, while Ash and Drew sat on the other side. "Mm! How delicious!" I said with a dreamy sigh. "I haven't eaten good food like this in so long."

"I know," May agreed, holding her chopsticks over her bowl. "One day I'll be just as good a chef and make wonderful food too!"

"Yeah when pigs fly," Drew commented, making May's eye twitch as she glanced towards looked at the green haired devil, peacefully eating from his bowl of rice.

"Hey I'm a good cook!" May defended in her argument.

"Actually not really," Ash agreed discretely.

"You too?" May asked with a breaking voice.

"Her cooking can't be that bad can it?" I asked with a tilted head.

"Yes it can," Drew and Ash opposed simultaneously, making me sweatdrop in the side.

"What about those veggie snacks I made last year?" May reminded.

"Like we ate those," Drew muttered before Ash elbowed him.

"Hey those are really good and nutricious!" May defended. "And they taste good too!"

"Do they really?" I spoke in question.

"Not really," Drew and Ash whispered to me, earning a repetive sweatdrop from before.

"I'm right here you know," said May in a deathly tone, spooking Ash and me.

"Is that supposed to scare me?" Drew asked with a smile while May beside me began to form a round fist.

"Then just you watch Mr. Fancy-Pants because I'm gonna be the best chef in the valley and don't you forget it!"

I didn't know whether to supposrt her or stay quiet, watching them in their hourly fight. However Ash began to speak looking up towards the wooden ceiling. "I don't know what I wanna be when I become an adult yet," Ash commented, making me glance towards him. "I'm just gonna go with the wind, travel places," he explained as he tipped his cap.

"I already know what I'm gonna be," Drew said, resuming his meal.

"What's that?" I asked curiously

"He's studying to become a lawyer," May replied to me with an eye roll. "Drew's gonna go towards the business world when he gets older. Not really my view of a fun occupation, but I can't really change his mind now can I."

"I understand."

"What about you, Misty?" asked Ash. I noticed him and Drew looking at me, awaiting my answer. I smiled wearily and looked down at my red bento. "Truthfully I've always wanted to be a marine biologist, study the water, you know?"

"Ah, so Misty enjoys the water, huh?" May said with a thoughtful look, Ash glancing me with an odd look instead.

I laughed with a nervous and trying smile. "It's a strange job, isn't it?"

"Considering the fact you can't swim I'd say so," Ash said with a glint in his eye.

"Thanks a lot, Ash," I said back.

Drew and May blinked before looking at me. "You can't swim?" they asked simultaneously in obvious shock. A girl who can't swim yet wants to study the water sounded pretty unusual to them, if not realistic.

I crossed my arms and blushed. "I have a phobia of drowing, okay? I, never really learned over the past few years."

"Wow, Misty," May said in amazement. "And you still want to become a marine biologist?"

A soft smile came onto my face and I nodded at her. "I know it's a weird choice coming from me, but it's what I want to do."

Ash smirked and nodded. "Well I'll be rootin' for ya then, Misty."

"Thanks Ash."

"She really can't swim?" May said with a doubting face, only to recieve a look from Drew.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

A new day, a new sunrise. Sitting upright in my bed, I had resumed writing in my journal.

__

'Hey, it's Misty again. As of now the group and I have two Pokemon, Pikachu the Electric type, and Togepi the, uh, well when I find out I'll write it here. Anyway, it's sunrise already. It's been a few days since Grandma and I moved into town, and everything's been going really nice. Ash is still the same reckless guy. And May's still as happy and perky as ever. I don't think it'd be the same if that ever changed about her. Ha, and she still argues with Drew. He's changed a bit, probably just got a bit cockier. But it's to be expected. Boys will be boys. And to think one day Ash will be like that, too. Hopefully not for the long-run, or any time soon.'

"Hey Misty!" called a voice from outside my window. I looked out all the way down and saw May's waving figure from below. It was Ash who called up to my window. "Come on out! And bring Togepi with you!"

"Pika pi!" Pikachu greeted, coming up from behind Ash and onto his shoulder.

I opened my window wider. "What's going on?" I blinked, confused as to why they were at my house so early.

"You'll see! Just come on!" Ash grinned. Ash and his surprises. Leaving the window I got dressed and took my small red bag, placing a now awoken Togepi inside. After rushing downstairs and out the door, I met up with Ash and May.

"Morning," May nodded. "Come on, we still have to get Drew."

"Where are we all going?" I asked as we began to run down the back into town. Once we were in the center of the valley, Ash and May stopped suddenly. I stopped too before I bumped behind them. "Huh? What is it, guys?"

They turned their heads sheepishly towards me. "We don't know where Drew lives," they said simultaneously.

"What do you mean you don't know where Drew lives!" I snapped at them both. You'd think that over all these past years of growing into our teens they would've at least gone to Drew's house at least once. And why would they tell me this now?

"We just don't!" Ash defended, nervous of getting me more upset. "Drew never did invite us over to his place for some reason."

"The three of us were supposed to meet up at the harbor this morning and then we'd go to your place, but he never showed. We figured we'd get you first and he'd catch up," May explained before sighing. "Apparently not."

"Well that's just great. Now how are we supposed to find him?" I said with a low tone. We all assumed a thinking look, including Pikachu. How do you find the house of a teenage boy?... Geez this is harder than I thought.

"Hey wait," May said suddenly. "Pikachu, you think you can sniff our Drew's scent and lead us to his house?"

"May Pikachu's not a dog," said Ash with a vein.

"Yeah but it was an idea!" May shouted in rebuttal before looking back to the yellow creature with a hopeful look. "So can you Pikachu?"

"Pikachu!" it cheered, meaning that it'd try. How we could all understand what Pokemon said, I'll never know, but complaints were unpressed at this moment.

"But do we have anything that belongs to Drew that Pikachu can follow?" I asked in realization. All of us looked at each other blinking and then we all hung our heads in disappointment.

"So much for that idea," May whined until she suddenly shot her head right back up. "Wait I got it!" She's just full of ideas today isn't she.

"Is this a plan that'll work?" Ash asked.

"Sush!" May said, face-palming Ash and knocking him to the ground. "Misty, I remember something about Drew saying how his place grows a lot of roses. We just have to look for the house in the valley with the most roses!"

"And where are we supposed to find that, exactly?" I asked with a confused face, trying to follow along with the brunette's plan.

"If I'm correct, if we take this path here then it'll lead us to the part of town that harvests flowers," May said, pointing to a conveniently placed path. "We just have to find the one with roses and we'll find Drew's place! Piece of cake."

"You sure about this, May?" Ash asked unsure, standing back up and rubbing his head. "I mean, Drew kept us out of his house all this time for a reason."

"Well whatever the reason now we can finally go see it for ourselves whether he likes it or not!" May shouted victoriously. "Let's, GO!" She began to march down the path, Pikachu, Ash, and I watching her.

"Is this how most mornings go?" I asked once she was a good four yards away.

"Only with us," replied Ash. Following the unusual path to the upper part of the valley, I began to find myself in an unfamiliar district. After we got up we stopped and gaped at the sight. In front of us was a line of huge houses. Mansions even. They were even more ordain than the compound my grandma and I lived in. The grass up here seemed much greener, and the lawns were lined with white picket fences and flower beds, one in particular being all roses.

"Was this part of town always here?" I asked, blinking in surprise. I don't know about May and Ash, but did Caden Valley always have a higher class section?

"I don't know..." Ash answered truthfully. "Is this supposed to be where Drew lives?"

"I think so," May said, snapping out of her trance. Who knew Drew was so rich? "Let's go try that house." Following May we walked up to the mansion that had the rose bushes she spoke of. It stood out well compared to the other mansions, which had a variety of decorations and many assortments of colored flowers. This house though simply had green grass and a massive collection of red.

"Drew's garden is real pretty," I noted as Togepi chirped again from my bag in agreement.

"I'm not surprised," May said with an eye roll as she rung the door bell. It made me nervous a bit, being at the presence of such a huge palace-like house. After a bit, the door opened, revealing a woman with orange-pink shaded hair and light blue eyes. "Yes can I help you?"

"Um, w-we're here to see Drew?" I spoke up, seeing as Ash and May wouldn't.

"Drew?" she repeated. "Oh, you must be the friends he's always out with."

"You know about us?" Ash asked, pointing at him and us.

"To a certain extent, anyway. Come inside," she smiled. "And my name's Solidad, by the way."

"Ah, so you're Drew's foster sister?" I asked. "No wonder why you look so young."

"For a second there I thought you were his mom," Ash admitted awkwardly as he scratched the back of his head, only for me to elbow him before Solidad could hear.

"Thank you," Solidad nodded. I took in the surroundings of the place. I've never been inside a mansion before, this being my first. I'm sure it was the same for May and Ash, too. She sat us down on an elegant red couch with those fancy pillows. Solidad sat down on another couch across a glass coffee table. "Drew is probably still up in his room sleeping." I can only image his room.

"Drew oversleeps?" May asked in disbelief.

"I find it hard to believe, too," Solidad said. "But it's probably just because of his late night studies, that's all."

"What late night studies?" Ash asked. Pikachu and Togepi appeared invisible to Solidad, nor could they be heard.

Solidad starred down. "I don't know if Drew told you this, but his parents have special plans for him. They plan on his becoming a lawyer."

"We know that," May says, laying her head in her palms. "Drew's always studying about that during school it gets old sometimes."

"But as of late our parents are out of town for business, and left Drew to continue his advanced level studies. Ever since he's been up all night with his books it worries me. He doesn't even want to become a lawyer last I remember."

"He doesn't?" we all asked in surprise.

"No. He told me so a long time ago when we were kids. Drew's only doing so to please our parents." Solidad smiled wearily, reminiscing about her little foster brother, his smile. "I remember when we were little he was so carefree."

"I remember that, too," May smiled, looking down shyly. She remembered the simple early days of their youth.

"Me too," I agreed with a nod.

"Those were the good ol' days," Ash sighed. "May and Drew didn't fight as violently."

"I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that," May death glared with a persisting fake smile, making Ash sweat with nervousness.

Solidad's smile faded away. "But as he grew up his personality changed. He doesn't talk to our parents anymore, let alone me."

"Well that sounds like Drew," May pointed out with furrowed eyebrows.

"Yeah. But I'm glad to know he's opened himself to friends like you three. he seems pretty close to you guys from what I recall."

"So do you think we can take Drew, now, Solidad?" I asked, remembering the Pokemon ordeal. "We're kind of in a hurry."

"Sure thing. Drew's room is up the stairs and first corridor on the left."

"Corridor. How can we miss that," Ash said with a face. Leaving the kitchen and Solidad we went up the marble staircase and to the first set of twin doors on the left. Who would've known that Drew was this rich? I said that before didn't I? Pushing the corridors open we arrived in Drew's bedroom. It looked like a prince's room to be honest. Regal and clean as a whistle, just as I expected from a place like this.

"Wow," Ash said. "And it's, clean."

"What I'd give to live in a room like this," I gaped.

"Drew," May gasped, seeing him laying at his desk. Books were piled up on the wooden desk and beside his chair. His eyes were closed in his arms as well. The three of us went over to him and May shook the boy's shoulder. "Drew? You still asleep?" May continued to shake his shoulder but he wouldn't wake up. "Drew come on! Stop messing around!-AH!" May had accidentally knocked Drew out of his chair, making the boy fall out of his chair. All of us yelped and jumped back, May covering her mouth from her accident.

"Gee May you sure are aggressive," Ash remarked.

"It's was an accident!" May said in a panic.

"Hey guys look," I said, catching their attention. "Drew's still asleep."

"Hm?" We all looked down at Drew, seeing him still asleep on the floor.

"Is Drew supposed to be a heavy sleeper?" Ash asked, poking him.

"I don't think so," May said as Pikachu hoped off of Ash's shoulder. Pikachu ran up to Drew and poked his head, trying to wake him up. "Okay this is _really_ weird. If he's faking this I'm gonna kill him!" May said with a burning flame in her eyes.

"I don't think he's faking it," I opposed, kneeling down and feeling for Drew's pulse. Luckily it was still there. "You think a Pokemon could've done this? I mean, with the stuff Togepi and Pikachu can do, maybe there's a Pokemon out there who can make people fall into a deep sleep."

"Misty that's a ridiculous idea," Ash said witha pout.

"Says the guy with the ridiculously small brain," May remarked, causing Ash to make a face.

I tried to think. "Let's just go see my grandma. Maybe she can help."

"But what about him?" Ash reminded, pointing his thumb to the unconscious green-haired boy. "You expect us to leave him like this? Solidad's gonna find out sooner or later and I don't wanna be around when she starts asking questions."

"Maybe if we just put him in bed under the covers she'll never notice," May suggested desperately. Proceeding with May's said idea -hopefully not a bad idea- we all worked together to get Drew into a sleeping position in bed, Pikachu and Togepi watching from his wooden bed-post.

"Jeez he's heavy," May whined with a strained voice as we carried him off to the mattress.

"Almost there," I encouraged as we neared the pillow. Dropping Drew's head onto the pillow the rest of him fell in place, May bringing the red silk covers over his sleeping figure. "And there."

"That wasn't too hard," Ash sighed.

"May..." Drew moaned from his sleep. The word was barely audible, but everyone in the room had heard it, followed by a short scilence by everyone. May jumped and turned red in the face while I grew on an amused smile, and only more so with Ash as well. You ca't help it when something this amusing comes up.

"Someone's dreamin' about his crush," Ash teased with a mischevious grin. Meanwhile I giggled, trying my best to hide the action.

"Shut it, Ash," May glared deviously, though Ash was enjoying her embarrassment too much. "You too, Misty."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"A pokemon who can make people fall asleep?" my grandma repeated, tending to the overgrowing grass outside. It was beginning to grow weeds.

"Yeah," I nodded. "Drew's asleep and he won't wake up for some reason."

"I see," she said, standing up and taking her gloves off. "It's possible that it just might be the work of an attack a Pokemon had performed."

"Figures," May said with a look. "But how are we supposed to wake him up?" Her eyes cracked. "I don't have to kiss him or anything do I?" A cliche idea, a girl kissing a boy so he can wake up. It was a very fictitious idea, but after the events of finding lost invisible creatures, anything's possible at this point.

"It'd be funny if you did have to," Ash joked, only for May to glare.

My grandmother stood up, straightening out her kimono. "Certain species of Pokeon can emit a special kind of powder essence that can be used to paralyze its enemies, or in this case put them to sleep. There's no limit as to how long your friend may be out, but it's best you treat him soon."

"And how are we supposed to do that?" I asked from the porch.

"This is only a suggestion, but perhaps if you find the Pokemon that did this to Drew, then maybe it can reverse the effect."

"You think it'll work?" Ash asked skeptically, his cap shielding the sunlight from his eyes as Pikachu starred at the elderly woman with hope.

"It just might."

"Great, another Pokemon hunt," I sighed from grief. "The things we do for Drew."

"Don't worry about it, Misty," May grinned, throwing her arm around my shoulders. "Just think, when he wakes up he'll owe us."

"Hm, I can already think of the ways he can repay us," Ash grinned, images of money flooding the inner concepts of his mind.

May and I sweatdroped. "Why couldn't that Pokemon have put _him_ to sleep instead," I said robotic, starring at Ash. May merely nodded in agreement as Togepi blinked its eyes, blissfully unaware and wondering what was going on around its surroundings.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"The forest," I spoke as we hiked down a dirt path. "Are you guys sure we don't need a map?" I asked with a hint of uncertainty.

"Of course not!" Ash assured with much enthusiasm. "If anything, I know this forest like the back of my hand."

"Yeah considering you're always wearing a glove you must really know what the back of your hand looks like under it," I remarked with a discouraged look.

Ash tried to think up a good comback. "...Whatever!" Afterwards we both noticed May's unusual quietness. She walked behind us, looking down at her shoes.

"Hey May you still there?" I spoke up.

"Huh?" she jumped. "Oh it's nothing don't worry about me! I'm just dozing off, you know," she laughed sheepsily, knocking on her head.

"I think she's bored without Drew around," Ash whispered to me with a sly smile.

"Shut it hat-head!" May cried out behind.

I chuckled and smiled a little. "Point blank, we'll find that Pokemon and wake Drew up soon."

"If it doesn't put us to sleep first," Ash muttered.

"Quit being such a pessimist," I glared.

"Just sayin'," Ash replied in his defence, holding up his gloves.

Taking a moment of silence, I glanced repeatedly left and right for any other signs of life. We're supposed to be the only ones who can see Pokemon, so we have the best chances of finding whoever did that to Drew. He'd do the same for us right?... Well at least not before arguing with us. The slow minutes passed on little by little onto hours of searching. We've went through countless bushes and trees, leaving no rock or twig unturned. The fact of not knowing exactly what we were looking for left us three at a disadvantage. All we knew was that it used a strange powder.

"Ah, I give up," I whined in lack of energy, collapsing against the trunk of a tree. I held Togepi in my arms, it practically falling asleep.

"Same," Ash agreed, sitting and falling on his behind next to my side. Pikachu was tired and laying on Ash's cap, holding on to prevent from falling off.

"Guys we have to keep looking," May tried to encourage, standing above us. "There has to be one part of this forest we haven't checked."

"Believe me, May. I know this place, and we've checked everything, even the abandoned train station. There's no other Pokemon out here," Ash told her.

"It is kinda weird though," I started. "I thought this part of Caden Valley was supposed to be filled with Pokemon, I mean with all the accounts of weird happenings in here all the time."

"Maybe they're hiding from us," Ash pondered.

"Guys," May's voice called to us, dropping her arms. She looked like she was desperate to continue the search.

"Just let us take a break first," Ash told her before grabbing his stomach. "I haven't eaten breakfast yet."

"Hm, me neither," I agreed before taking off my bag. "Let's have lunch for now. I packed some food, knowing Ash."

"I'm not even gonna say anything to that you got food!" Ash grinned, helping me instantly take out the food.

May sat down in defeat. "I guess we can eat for a little while."

I set Togepi next to Pikachu and I began to dig through my bag. I took out a small plastic box of crust-cut sandwiches, enough for all of us. "Here, dig in, guys."

"Food!" Ash cheered, taking two out of the box and feasting onto them both after removing his gloves. Figures Ash would be the one to eat first.

"Thanks, Misty. We owe you one," May smiled, taking off her gloves as well before she grabbed a sandwich from the small container.

I took one as well and broke it in half, holding them both out to the two Pokemon Togepi and Pikachu. "Here you go guys. I bet you're hungry, too." Both Pokemon took the sandwich halves and hesitated as they stared at the food. Pikachu sniffed it unlikingly while Togepi dropped it, seemingly not wanting it. "Huh, aren't you guys hungry?"

"I don't think they like your sandwhiches Misty," Ash commented.

"Wonder why. They haven't eaten since we found them now that I think about it," I said with a confused look as I sat on my knees.

"Maybe Pokemon just don't eat," Ash wondered.

"Ash's that stupid. Of course Pokemon eat _something,_" I retorted as May gasped in remembrance. She began to reach into her phanny pack attached to her waist. Ash and I looked at her. "May what are you doing?"

"I just realized I brought some food with me, too!" May said with a smile, holding her sandwhich with her free hand. "Maybe Pikachu and Togepi will like it instead."

"Sweet you brought more food!" Ash said with a cheerful tone. However May revealed to us small different colored blocks that looked similar to gummies. It was then I saw a befallen expression come onto Ash's face. He looked, disappointed. "Huh? May you brought those?"

"My soon-to-be-world-famous Veggie Snacks!" May cheered with her hand proudly outstretched. "One hundred percent healthy!"

"Aw come on May what'd Pikachu and Togepi ever do to you?" Ash asked, only for May to become enraged as she punched the poor boy in the nose. He fell back against the tree and sat right back up holding his nose.

"If you have nothing good to say then don't say anything!" May continued angrily before putting on a cheerful smile and turning to Togepi and Pikachu. It made me wonder if they really would eat it. Maybe Pokemon are vegan. "Here guys try these if you want."

"They're not gonna eat it," Ash warned, rubbing his bruised nose with tightly closed eyes.

"Um Ash?" I asked, lifting pointing finger. Ash lifted his head up and looked at our two small companions. Pikachu and Togepi appeared to be eating the small block-shaped snacks gleefully and without question, it was rather cute, like seeing a hamster eat a sunflower seed.

"Wow," Ash said in blunt amazement.

"See they do like it!" May said boastfully with her hands planted onto her hips victoriously.

"Pokemon can't eat human food, so I guess they like all-natural stuff like May's veggie snacks," I said, picking up one of them and inspecting it.

"You really think so, Misty?" May asked with happy hope and folded hands. "Yes! I have just invented the first Pokemon food!"

"You just love acting proud don't ya," Ash said with a sweatdrop, however his embarrassed facial expression changed into that of one of realization. "H-Hey hold on a second. Pokemon food? May that's it!"

"What's it?" May asked, putting her arms back down to waist height.

"Your gross veggie snacks don't you get it?" Ash asked, sitting up on his knees with fists of determination and plan. "Pokemon like those things don't they? We'll just use it as bait to lure in the Pokemon that put Drew to sleep, and we've got it!"

"Ash that's actually a... good idea...?" I said slowly in realization of his brilliance. "What just happened.."

"You can't let me have this one can you, Misty," Ash glared. "Just lay out those blocks, May." The three of us proceeded with laying out the bait. I prayed and hoped that it would work. Within a matter of minutes, we had a small clearing in the forest of grass surrounded by trees and bushes. May set out a hand full of those colorful veggie snacks and we all hid in the bushes to wait.

"How long do you think we'll have to wait here?" asked Ash as May jumped into the bushes.

"Apparently not too long. Look." I outstretched my arm a little, pointing at something flying into sight. It looked like a giant butterfly with grey wings. Actually, it had a lot of symmetrical colorful patterns on its wings. Its eyes were a big deep blue, and its small stub-like body looked harmless as well.

"Aw, how cute!" May gasped in a whisper.

"Shh, it's taking the bait," Ash whispered, eyeing the supposed Pokemon carefully as it began to fly downwards towards May's snacks.

"I wonder what kinda Pokemon it is," I spoke quietly.

"On the count of three, we jump out and try to catch it," Ash whispered to May and I. The two of us nodded. Togepi made a small chirp from my bag and Pikachu nodding determinedly from Ash's head. "One, two, THREE GO!" We all yelled and jumped out, surprising the butterfly-Pokemon eating May's food. It jumped, looking startled, probably too surprised to run away, which was kind of surprising. I thought that it would fly off as quick as Pikachu could run, or maybe even attack us. But this Pokemon, it looked as innocent as a baby.

Before we could tackle it the three of us skidded to a stop on the grass, the Beautifly starring up at us with shining scared eyes. "Great plan Ash," I whispered, not making a move.

May gulped and stepped forward, taking a few more of her snakcs out of her pouch. "Here. You want some more? I know you like them." The Pokemon starred up at May, Ash and I standing totally still. Eventually the bug-like Pokemon chirped out a 'Beautifly' sound and flew up towards May. It landed atop her head on her bandanna. Using his curled mouth or nose, it began to eat May's veggie snacks from her hand. The brunette smiled widely. "Hey, you really do like them don't you?"

Once it was safe Ash and I walked up to her. "Looks like it's another gentle Pokemon," Ash said as Pikachu waved at it. The Butterfly Pokemon smiled with its eyes closed and saying happily and repeatedly _'Beautifly beautifly_!'

"I guess you're gonna be called 'Beautifly' from now on, huh?" May smiled upwards. It continued to make that sound of its own name. It liked its givin name. "Were you the one who put my friend to sleep? The boy who lives near the roses?"

Beautifly's eyes which showed much emotion began to look downwards, and began speaking in its own Pokemon language, a language which we couldn't quiet fully interpret, but could somehow understand, like a mixture of empathy and mind translation.

"You didn't do it to hurt him?" May repeated. It continued to speak.

"Ah, you only put Drew to sleep because he was tired," Ash realized from Beautifly's explanation. "Drew was up late studying, and wouldn't go to sleep. Beautifly must've flown up to Drew's window and used some sleeping powder to make him rest for his own good."

"Doesn't surprise me it'd be Drew's own fault," May said with crossed arms and with a scrunched up look.

"Hey Beautifly, do you think you can wake up Drew for us?" I asked of it. Beautifly responded with a series of positive sounds, making me smile. "Sounds like a yes to me!"

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

We were all in Drew's bedroom again, our three Pokemon present with us. "Still asleep, I see," May said with her hands on her hips, looking at Drew's sleeping figure. "I somehow have the urge to punish him for all this un-needed trouble by drawing on his face with permanent marker."

"I wonder if he's still dreaming about you-know-who," Ash whispered to me, making me giggle.

However we quickly felt an evil glare come towards us from May as she sat down on the bed with crossed arms. "I'm gonna get back at you guys someday for all the teasing you did to me."

"Hey think of this as payback for all the time you mocked me all these years," Ash said with a grin.

Before May could respond to that we heard another mumble from Drew. Suddenly Drew's arm extened out unconsiously as he accidentally grabbed May's waist, pulling her backwards. With a yelp she landed her back near Drew in an awkward position. In the end, May was laying in place next to Drew, his arm keeping her from moving. I watched amusingly as her face turned red while Drew's remained drearily oblivious to his own actions.

I covered my mouth with my hand with a trying smile while Ash ducked forward, using both his hands to keep himself from letting out a huge endless laugh. "Oh my gosh I'm donna die!" Ash stiffled from his laughs and hands.

I pressed my lips together with a smile. "Are you okay, May?"

"What do you think?" she said in a high itched whisper, her faced too paralyzed to move as she starred at Drew's sleeping face. "Have Beautifly hurry and wake him up already."

We all looked to see where the Pokemon previously were but found only Togepi sitting on the regal rug. From behind the corridoors outside the room, laughs from Pikachu and Beautifly could be heard. I sweatdropped at the scene.

"Man this is SO awesome!" Ash finally let out, falling down.

While trying to think of something, May and I noticed Drew open his eyes suddenly. His face was voice of any emotion while May's eyes widened. "Think twice next time before you say you're gonna get back at me with markers."

Ash and I starred in disbelief while May with a loud shriek forced herself out of the bed and Drew's grip. She ended up falling out of the bed's tall height and onto the floor. Ash and I were about to go help her but she shoot back up with an obviously angry face. "WHAT THE HECK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING YOU IDIOT?"

Drew emotionlessly sat up from bed and threw his legs off the side. "I woke up a little before you guys rushed in."

"So you were faking," Ash and I said with similar faces. Beautifly and Pikachu peeked in.

"Only just now. I was laying in bed here when I woke up. Then I heard you knumbskulls rushing up here with the Pokemon." So, the sleeping powder thing Beautifly used was only temporary...?

We didn't have to wait too long before May reverted back to her old self. By now she wwas gribbing onto Drew's green shirt with a death glare. "I CAN'T BELILEVE YOU PULLED A DIRTY STUNT LIKE TAHT ON ME!"

"SAYS YOU WHO WAS THINKING ABOUT DRAWING ON MY FACE!"

"WELL I THOUGHT ABOUT IT BUT I DIDN'T DO IT NOW DID I!"

"WELL I BET YOU WOULD'VE!"

"Looks like Drew's back," I said with a tired look while Ash nodded. May and drew contined to bicker as it echoed throughout the entire estate.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

All of us were outside Drew's house at sunset, allowing the three Pokemon to play in some fresh air with the roses in Drew's garden. We all sat among the fancy steps on Drew's porch. It's a day's worth, but we found one more Pokemon out of, who knows how many. May was currently playing with Pikachu, Togepi, and Beautifly in games, her tossing a few of her veggie snacks every now and then to them.

"So the Pokemon actually like something May made," Drew said flatly, starring at one of May's veggie snacks inbetween his thumb and index finger. "How... strange."

"Sh says she wants to call them PokeBlock," Ash informed.

"And would it kill you too give her some credit for this one?" I spoke up to Drew. "It was May's food that helped us get to Beautifly so we could wake you up. I know it was a hopeless cause but she was really determined today."

Drew closed his eyes, throwing the Pokeblock in his hand. "Whatever."

"You're _really_ heartless," Ash remakred with a nervous look.

"May and I are rivals, Misty. We're supposed to argue," Drew said with a small smile, putting his hand back down. "It's my job to put her down, so she can try harder."

"Try harder?" I repeated in confusement.

Ash scoffed disbelievingly. "Drew has a point," he said, making me look to his side. "They drive each other to do their best somehow." He smiled down at me. "Not quite like the two of us, but rivalry seems to work for them."

"Rivalry huh?" I said thinking. "How exactly did you two become rivals anyway, let alone friends?"

Ash moved closer his green-haired friend. "Yeah Drew. We never really did get how you and May met in the first place."

After shoving Ash away Drew starred at his brunette rival, playing happily with the Pokemon, gentle laughter ringing throughout his ears. "Surprisingly I remember that, how May and I met. It started when we were little, and May was wandering around town somewhere. I think I was around too with my parents on business with the mayor." He looked down and away from May, smiling. "She found this small puppy that had an injured paw in the park, and she was crying about it. She always was a crybaby when she was a kid. But... it's because of that puppy I met her."

I listened intently to Drew's story. I've never seen him look so, nostalgic before, and about May too.

"I wandered off from my parents to see what was the matter May. Somehow we came to a compromise to take care of the puppy secretly, since we knew out parents would disapprove. So, we decided to take care of the it on alternating days. And each day before sunset we would meet at the park to give the puppy to the other person."

"Aw, that's sweet," I smiled.

"Eventually the thing got better, and we let it go in the park on sunrise," Drew remembered. "But somehow, we got into some stupid argument about who took care of the puppy better and got it to heal more."

"You aregued about _that_?" I said with a voice.

"You too care of a _puppy_?" Ash interrogated Drew, who once again shoved him away.

"That was how we became rivals," Drew concluded. "Ever since we were okay friends, but we were constantly at each other's throats to try and out-do one another.

"What a facinating story," I smiled, seeing Pikachu and Togepi tackle May to the ground. I felt kinda jealous of their childhood. And knowing them, their future looked very bright, unlike mine. I did my best to hide my dark-sided thoughts, and put on a bright smile of my own.

"Maybe that explains why he was dreamin' about May," Ash remembered next to me, making me laugh again and look to Drew to see if he heard, and his reaction. The blank look on his face questioned mines. What was he thinking?

"W-What?" Drew asked Ash. I could see Drew doing his best to try and hide his curiosity, maybe emabrassment.

"You know, when you were asleep under Beautifly's sleep power and you muttered May's name," Ash continued, suddenly at Drew's side. "M-a-y..."

The boy went red with embarassment. "I did not."

"Sure you didn't," Ash smiled victoriously.

"You don't see me saying anything about you and Misty," Drew said with a glare.

Ash paused for a second, but went back to say something. "T-There's nothing to say about us!"

"Ya sure? You're kinda red Ash," Drew smirked.

The two boys started to have an argument of their own, and I sighed, placing my head on my hands. Togepi began to waddle up to me and I smiled, picking it up. "Everyone's weird today huh?"

"Togepriii!"

I smiled and stood up, taking my bag over my shoulder. "I'm gonna head home now guys. It's getting late."

The two boys, holding each other's shirts with fists paused and looked at me. "You're leaving?" Ash asked, blinking.

"Yeah. My grandma's gonna get worried if I stay out past sunset," I said, walking down Drew's yard of roses. "See you tomorrow guys!"

"B-Bye...?" Ash stuttered, starring.

"My point proven," Drew smirked, giving Ash an anime vein.

"Bye May, Pikachu, Beautifly!" I shouted, waving my arm as I started to run back towards town.

"Bye May! Walk safely!" May called out to me. The day had passed by quickly, having spent most of my time in the forest with Ash and May. Even though the sleeping powder my grandma told us about was temporary, I feel like finding Beautifly was the day's prize. That satisfied me enough for the day- a day not wasted. It's weird now, finding something to do _every_day, actually making use of my time. I hugged Togepi tightly as I disappeared from the high-class district.

* * *

**Hi Again!**

**I haven't updated since June probably. My bad ^^'**

**This chapter ended up longer than I intended. I felt I needed to write a chapter focusing on May and Drew at one point.**

The Pokemon Record by now:  
1. Togepi - Normal type- Owner Misty  
2. Pikachu - Electric Type -Owner Ash  
3. Beautifly - Bug Type - Owner May  
4. ?

**I should start doing that more often. It makes me feel organized.  
Anyway, until next time. Hopefully it won't be as long a wait.  
And sorry for any spelling mistakes. I tend to get a lot of those no matter how many times I read it over. Oh well, I try my best.**


	5. Ties

It was early morning, and I was sitting in the main room in front of the small brown table, a warm cloth draped over my shoulders and my short red hair down. My journal was up on the table as I sat on a pillow, writing a new entry. Togepi at the moment was still asleep in my bedroom.

'_Good Morning, Journal. It's Misty again. As of now the others and I have found our third Pokemon, Beautifly, the Butterfly Pokemon. I think it's safe to assume it's a bug-type.'_ I had made a small doodle of Beautifly on the page. '_It put Drew to sleep for a while, but it was able to wake him up afterwards. Makes me wonder what today has in store for us. Hm. I hope it's not as eventful as yesterday. I could use a break. Especially with this new medication Grandma's givin me_.'

On the table beside my journal sat a small cylinder resembling a mini candy dispenser. Inside it were small orb-resembling pills that I were to take three times a day. One early morning, one in the middle of the afternoon, and one before I go to bed.

'_It'll be hassle to remember taking these, but the doctor says that if I'm to survive my last month properly and healthy enough, I'll need to take these with responsibility._'

To be brutally honest the pills coming out of a candy dispenser made the feeling of taking medication a lot less serious, whether that was a good thing or a bad thing for me. I picked up the small toy and clicked on the cartoon-shaped head on the top, a small pink pill coming out of the dispenser. I popped it into my mouth and swallowed, making a sour face only for me to stick out my tongue after it went down. "For something looking so sweet it tastes horrible."

It was then I heard a knock on my window and I turned my head around, seeing Pikachu knocking on the glass. "It's Pikachu," I said in slight confusion. What was it doing here at my house? I stood up from the table and walked across the room, opening the window. I whispered quietly. "Good morning Piakchu. Is Ash here with you?" Pikachu merely handed me a small white scroll. Once I took it, Pikachu hopped off the window ledge and ran off down back to town. "Huh?"

After looking back at the small rolled up paper I opened it up and found a message. "It's from Ash. _Meet up at the Ice Cream parlor at 9:00. We'll be planning our next expedition for the Peaks._" Hm, well wasn't that an informative letter. I closed the window and looked over at the grandfather clock standing by the wall. I had half an hour to get ready. "Better shower now. I wouldn't wanna be late and keep the others waiting now would I."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"So we're going to the High Peaks again?" asked Drew skeptically as he lounged in his white plastic chair. Ash stood above his seat in front of him and May, all three shaded from the sunlight under the umbrella.

"That's the plan!" Ash grinned, both of his hands on a map on the outside ice cream parlor table.

"Hey guys!" I called out, running towards our usual table with Togepi inside my bag. Once I arrived under the table my friends greeted me with 'morrnings' and 'hellos'.

"What took ya so long, Misty?" Ash asked.

"Sorry. I take to wake up Togepi. Anyway I got your message from Pikachu. You said we're going to the High Peaks again?"

"But you all remember what happened the last time we went up there. That's was just bad," May reminded depressingly, remembering the huge thunderstorm that near, um, KILLED US ALL.

"Why are we going back up there anyway?" Drew frowned, lounging in his chair as I took my seat in another chair nearby.

"I found this old story-book in my house," Ash said, taking it out and placing it on the table.

"You read?" I asked with a doubtful expression.

Ash tried to ignore my remark as he opened up to the page. "It says there used to be an old story of a creature called Absol. It's an old legend of Caden Valley a lot of parents used to tell their kids."

"Never heard of it," Drew commented instantly, making Ash glare.

"What's the story about?" May asked curiously.

"According to here, it says that Absol used to come and warn the old village people of the valley of disasters, like dam leaks, volcano eruptions, earthquakes, floods and all that."

"But, that's all geologically impossible in a place like this," I opposed as Ash read from his book. I mean, volcanoes?

"That's why it's called a _legend_, Misty," Ash said to me, shutting the book. "But that's not my point. My point _is_, is that last night, Pikachu sensed something. We went outside to check it out, and believe it or not, we saw Absol."

"Seriously?" Drew asked astonished.

Ash and Pikachu nodded. "Yeah I'm sure of it! And the weirdest part, was that it only spoke 'absol' over and over."

"Using it's own name as its own language," I realized, pondering these facts. "Sounds like it's a Pokemon."

"Exactly," Ash smirked. "The legend says that Absol resides in mountainous ranges. So it's gotta be up there on the peaks somewhere!"

"Ah, I get it now," May smiled, however Drew's face still held one of concern and concentration.

"Hold on, Ash," Drew started. "Your story says that Absol only appears to warn people of impending disasters. Why would it come down here to you all of a sudden?"

"...I don't know," he replied after some thought.

All of us starred amazingly at him. "Wow you didn't even take that into account!" I scolded at the boy.

"Hey I got this far didn't I?" Ash defended with crossed arms.

"But Drew's got a point. What was Absol trying to tell you guys?" I said, bringing us back to our original starting point.

"Beats me," Ash shrugged, Pikachu looking just as sad that it couldn't understand the fellow Pokemon stranger from the previous night. "But the only way to find out is to go up there and ask it itself, right!"

"We can't be too haste about it like last time, Ash," Drew interjected. "We could've been killed back then. We really need to take this seriously."

"I am taking this seriously!" Ash clarified.

"Says the most carefree dude of the group," I glared with furrowed eyebrows.

"Gee thanks, Misty," Ash said sarcastically as May giggled in amusement.

Drew sighed. "We'll come up with a plan - what to bring, how to get there."

"But when do we go?" May added.

"Best we go as soon as possible. It's not our best interest to wait out an opportunity like this," I supposed. "How about dawn tomorrow? You guys can tell your parents you're camping out behind my place. That's believable enough."

"And we spend today gathering supplies for the trip," Ash smiled. He grinned, tipping his cap. "This trip's gonna be awesome!"

I pouted. "Only someone like you would see something as dangerous as this as some kind of field trip."

May and I were walking through the town, she and I holding various bags from the small shops around. It wasn't like my old home, but it was quaint. And I think I like it better here. Although, I didn't really understand how this was shopping for supplies. "Um, May? What exactly are we doing?"

"Shopping of course," May told me. "You're a city girl aren't you? But then again, I forgot you're the old fashioned type." She smiled dazedly. "I wanna go visit the city one day, and go shopping in _real_malls!" She squealed from the excitement of her own fantasies as I sweatdropped.

"Whatever you say, May," I said, pretending to go along with her ideals.

"Hey, maybe once the summer comes we can all go visit your old home in the city!" May suggested excitingly, one of her paper bags sliding to her elbow.

"Um, sure May. I'm up for it if you are," I answered with a slight chuckle. I knew I wasn't going to last up to the summer. That's a fact. It was then I remembered my old home and a special part of it that I was starting to feel homesick for.

May noticed my distraught face. "Misty? What's the matter?"

"Huh? Oh nothing! I'm just remembering the private beach I always used to go to."

"You had a private beach?" May asked with a wide grin, bringing both of her hands to her cheeks.

"Nah. But one of my school friends did and I went there all the time, but I never went into the water. I just sat on the shore."

"Well that's no fun," May pouted. "But I guess I can't blame you. Still scared of the water, huh?"

"Afraid so." I didn't like talking about the water, or admitting I had a problem with it. But secretly, I... I loved the water. I wish to be in it, have it surround me with that cool, serene feeling. But, at the same time I'm so scared of it. It it weird, to live for something you're scared of? Then again, my lifespan isn't exactly one long enough to be scared of anything.

"Well either way. Even if you don't go into the water, me you and the guys will have a trip to the beach one day. That's a promise," May said, looking upwards towards the sky. This made me smile. I could always rely on May to keep me in true high hopes.

"One day."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"And water," Ash said, placing two water bottles in his bag. He and Drew were at his mansion, packing small bags in his kitchen, four to be exact. "Ask me again why _we're_ the ones packing for this trip."

"Because May and Misty said they would go off to buy more stuff we might need," Drew replied with an annoyed tone. "But knowing May." Images of buying needless sets of clothes and sweets flowed through the boys' mind.

"Geez," Ash sighed.

A set of footprints were heard coming their way. The two boys looked up to see Solidad walking into their kitchen. "I see you two are keeping yourselves busy."

"Yeah. You got any gummy bears?" Ash asked, only for Drew to shoot the teen a look. What kind of question was that?

Solidad laughed and crossed her arms, leaning against the cream-painted walls. "The cabinets next to the fridge."

"Thanks," Ash smiled, walking across the room with his Pikachu, invisible to Solidad, eyes ears and all. Drew and his foster sister were left with the packs. Drew sent a look to the red-head.

She looked back down at him. "So, what are you and your friends up to now? You were never this busy on past school breaks."

"Yeah well... now we are," Drew replied distantly, continuing to pack his bag with fruit from the counter. "What are you doing here, anyway."

"What I can't see my little brother?" Solidad asked with a slight glare. "You know, you should really loose the attitude. I've kept quiet to Mom and Dad about your little outings ever since your spring break started."

"I hope you don't expect me to say I'm grateful. But just so you know I never asked for your help, nor do I need it," Drew said, starting to get annoyed around Solidad. "And I don't need a babysitter along either."

"I'm just worried about you-"

"Then don't be! If it's just gonna cause problems from the both of us then just ignore me alright!" snapped Drew. Ash couldn't help but listen from the other side of the kitchen. "I'm not the same little boy anymore don't you get it? I have more important things to worry about than anything here at home! And go tell Mom and Dad for all I care. Tell them how I'm not focusing on my studies, how I'm never around, because personally, I don't think it really matters anymore."

Solidad kept her face before leaving. "Whatever you say." She reached into her pocket and was about to pull it out. Ash saw a paper in her hand, but before she could pull it out fully she put it back into her pocket before Drew could see. Solidad turned her heel and walked out of the kitchen to resume whatever business she had previously.

Drew glared once more before returning to packing food. However Ash walked back a little awkwardly, slow yet loud steps. "I, um, got the gummies."

"Keep'em. I don't need them," Drew said, shaking his head.

Ash placed them into his bag, knowing when Drew wasn't in the mood for fun and games. Pikachu too sensed Drew's negative temper.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Come on, this way, Misty!" May called as the two of us ran through an alley way between some tall fences.

"Are you sure this is an okay shortcut, May?" I asked, holding two bags on both ends of my arms. How'd I end up carrying these anyway?

"Of course! Whenever the guys come down to the shopping district we always run off this route." Following May down the path we ended up in another long alleyway with tall wooden fences, trees on the other side of each. We continued to run until I heard a shift in the leaves of one of the trees, like hearing a twig break behind you in a dark forest.

I came to a halt, making May stop and turn around. "May did you hear that?" I asked, listening carefully to the area around me. I know I'm not just hearing things.

"No. Are you sure it's not just the wind?"

I shook my head. "No. I know."

After a few seconds of intense silence I heard the same sound, except this time the reason of the noise came into plain sight. A dark hooded figure jumped out of the trees. They had long black robes and had a pattern of face paint over their eyes and across their face, from temple to temple. It was hard to see under the hood, but I couldn't forget the look in the man's eye.

May screamed, jumping back and dropping her bags. She ran to me and we stayed close, me dropping my bags without a question either. I furrowed my eyebrows, Togepi still in my bag behind my shoulders. Hopefully this man couldn't see her as well. Why would he? Like this stranger, this evil stranger, could be pure hearted soul.

"Who is this guy?" May asked panicking.

I took deep even breaths, all the while trying to look brave, and not weak. "Who are you! What do you want with us!"

The man didn't respond. He only continued to keep up that smirk, the rest of his face no covered by the shadows of the hood of his robe. That irritated me to the utmost impatience.

"You were following us weren't you? If you've got nothing to say then leave us!"

I was only bluffing bravery, but it was better than showing cowardice. "As a matter of fact, I do have a purpose in seeing you two brats."

May and I kept together as the man only walked closer, taking each step slowly and savoringly, as if he was enjoying seeing us at a disadvantage. _'Ash, help..._'

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Ash and Drew were both in his backyard, the tall white fences lined with flower vines and flower beds. Pikachu was practicing his speed at the moment while Ash and Drew relaxed on the porch, Drew in a sun chair and Ash sitting on the wooden stairs.

Ash spoke up. "Drew, I know you and your family aren't as close as most families are, but if you don't mind my asking, do you and Solidad always talk like that?"

Drew looked up at the boy. "If you really wanna know, my parents and I never talk. Solidad and me, we aren't that close either. She's like a messenger for my parents, having her tell me what they want me doing."

"That's horrible," Ash said, he and Pikachu watching him continue to pack slowly.

"It's nothing new," Drew said, easily shrugging himself off the subject. "And where the heck are May and Misty? They should've been here by now."

"Maybe they're still shopping?" Ash asked.

"Leave it to girls to end up with things like that," Drew muttered. "Come on. We better go get them before they run out of money and ask us for some."

Just as the two were getting up, they heard the familiar cries of a Pokemon, or a Beautifly. The bug Pokemon flew over the mansion's roof and down towards Ash and Drew, Pikachu running up to his trainer's shoulder. "It's May's Beautifly," Ash said. Beautifly sounded in a panic. "Hey hey slow down. Where's May and Misty?"

Beautifly continued to speak in its own language, which Ash and Drew were somehow translating. Suddenly Drew's eyes widened. "May and Misty have been kidnapped? H-How?"

"Does it matter how?" Ash asked. "Beautifly do you know were they are? Where we can find them?"

Beautifly pointing and looked in the direction of the High Peaks over at the horizon of the trees. Ash, Drew, and Pikachu looked up at the tips of the mountain. "No way," Drew said in disbelief. "You're kidding me. Those two have seriously been kidnapped and taken, _up there_."

"That's the only explanation Beautifly's giving us," Ash said.

"Absol," Drew remembered suddenly, recalling the fact that the Pokemon Absol resided up in the mountain ranges.

Ash's eyes narrowed. "You don't think Absol did this do you, Drew?"

"Well that depends on you, Ash," the green-haired boy shrugged. "Is Absol a good guy or a bad guy?"

"Like I know! But even if it was the bad guy what motive would Absol have to take Misty and May?" Ash turned to his Pikachu. "But either way I guess we better go find'em."

"We can't go now. It'll be dark by the time we get there."

"Drew these are our friends we're talking about! We can't just leave them up there all night."

"Well _we_ can't go up there with no plan. For all we know this could be a trap. We have to think things through before taking any sudden actions-"

By this time Ash glared and grabbed Drew by the collar of his shirt. "Drew you're not listening! Plans, won't matter if it means we'll be too late! Forget planning and just wing it!" Drew gave no reply and Ash dropped him. "Fine. If you're not going to the High Peaks, then I'll just go by myself. Let's go, Pikachu."

Ash walked back into the house through the backyard's sliding glass doors, leaving behind Drew and a worried Beautifly. Drew looked up at his best friend's Pokemon. "Hey don't give me that look," he told May's Beautifly as it stared sadly at him.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

I felt a painful rush through my head, but it caused me to wake up. I shook my head to force myself out of my confused state before I burst open my eyes. At first I was expecting to see light, but instead I saw nothing but darkness.

'_What... Where am I?..._'

It was then I realized the position I was in, a sitting position. I felt a rough string around my wrists along with another person's skin. May's! "May!" My voice, it was muffled. Around my face and jaw was a cloth. I tried to shake it off so I could speak clearly, because by the sound of things, May was still unconscious. It fell to my neck. "May! May are you awake? Wake up!"

I heard her voice as she began to stir, much to my relief. When she lifted her head the back of her skull hit mine accidentally, only for her to shake her head. Her cloth around her mouth must've fallen in the process since she began to speak clearly. "Oww. What the- Misty where are you?"

"Back here," I said, still feeling the bump on the back of my head.

"M-Misty! You're okay!" May exclaimed happily, until she realized, that is, where we were. At least a guess of where we were. "W-What happened? Where are we? How'd we get here?" Her rising voice began to sound more panicked by the word.

I narrowed my eyes in the dark. "That's what I'd like to know." At the skin on my fingers, I felt dirt on the ground, and by the small outlines in the dark, we must've been in some cave. I tried to squirm, but I noticed then that my ankles were tied up along with my wrists, may and I tied back-to-back by our waists. "Okay, I can safely assume we're stuck, just-" My eyes widened. I was missing something. "Togepi. W-Where's Togepi?"

"Wasn't it with you?" May asked.

It all came back to me. "That man," I gasped in remembrance. "He must have Togepi!" My temper rose and I gritted my teeth within my mouth. "TOGEPI! TOGEPI WHERE ARE YOU! CAN YOU HEAR ME, TOGEPI?" By the sound of my voice, this little cave we were in wasn't as big as most caves would be. "TOGEPI SAY SOMETHING-"

"Misty calm down. Togepi's not gonna be coming back to us anytime soon," May said, trying to be the sensible one out of the both of us. "And I doubt those thugs stole Togepi. Remember, we're the only ones who can see those Pokemon."

"So now what, then. Huh, May?" I said, turning my head around to look at her. "We're stuck in here. And soon enough we'll run out of air, too."

"Run out of air?" May repeated with a gulp. She hadn't thought of that.

"The best we can do is hope that Ash and Drew realize we're missing and come and find us, wherever we are."

May turned her head around. "So you're saying our lives are in the hands of those two teenage boys." The two of us thought of our so called 'hope' and sighed, hanging our heads. Knowing Drew and Ash, they won't stand a chance working together unless one of us were there to smooth things out if things got too troublesome.

"Well, we still got Pikachu to make sure they don't go ballistic," I said desperately.

"And my poor Beautifly, stuck inside my bedroom," May said with streams of anime tears falling from her eyes. "Why couldn't Ash and Drew have gotten kidnapped instead! We could've so rescued them much easier and faster then they ever could for us!"

"Be that as it may we're the damsels in distress whether we like it or not," I said, trying to think straight and logically. "Maybe if we-" My throat felt caught and I began to cough. I did my best to cough into my knees, seeing as my hands were tied behind my back.

"Misty!" May exclaimed, trying to turn her whole self around, but the most she could do was a part of her waist. "Oh no, you're already starting to loose air."

"N-No May it's fine. It's not the air," I assured her, trying my best to stop coughing. "I just have a cold probably." My coughing fit continued, but it slowed down to a normal pace until it stopped all together, but just barely. I remembered my medicine, the ones I left back at home. If I didn't get that soon, I just might realize what'll happen when I don't take it.

"Misty..." May said worriedly. "Ash, Drew, you two better find us."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Meanwhile Drew was upstairs in his bedroom. Laying in his bed alone, he starred up at the ceiling of his canopy bed. He couldn't get off his mind his two missing friends, and strangely and more importantly May. The image of his face appeared in the boy's mind, making his eyes widened and he shut them immediately. Ash had left previously for the High Peaks with Pikachu. As stupid an idea that sounded to Drew he couldn't stop his friend.

He heard a loud breeze from the outside and looked up, seeing the curtains flying from his window. Getting up out of bed he went to shut the window. However before he could, he heard the sound of an explosion coming from the direction of the High Peaks. Though it worried him, it didn't really surprise him anymore.

"That's it, I'm going," he finalized. "Come on Beautifly. Looks like Ash's gonna need some help after all."

As he hurried down the large elegant stairs of his mansion, he saw Solidad in the main room. She looked up at him and Drew slowed his pace down the stairs. He almost thought of trying to think of an excuse for Beautifly, but then he remembered only he could see the Pokemon.

"Heading out again?" Solidad asked. She was on one of the couches, reading a book.

"Yeah," Drew said, going down the stairs again and across the room. The dense awkwardness circled the room as Drew's footsteps echoed. Even Beautifly held a look on concern with her big blue eyes.

"Wait Drew," Solidad spoke last minute.

Unwillingly Drew turned around, his hands placed cooly in his pockets. "What is it."

She pulled out slowly the piece of paper in her pocket. It turned out to be a an envelope with a bunch of post marks and stamps on the back. Drew arched his eyebrow. "It's a letter from Mom and Dad."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Ash was already walking down the roads of the valley towards the High Peaks. Pikachu sniffed out the ground in front, as if searching for May's and Misty's scent. All of a sudden, Pikachu began to pick up the pace, running. "Pikachu slow down!" Ash called after the yellow mouse creature. Making turns down an alley way, lined with tall brown picket fences almost the size of trees. And there in a short distance on the floor were tipped over bags, objects of sorts had fallen out.

Bending down to look through the things, Ash found what appeared to be Misty's signature red bag. "Misty's bag, where she keeps Togepi."

"Pika pika!" Pikachu said, his body facing the High Peaks mountain.

"They're there huh," Ash glared. "We find them, hopefully we find Togepi, too." Putting the top portion of the bag into his pocket, the two dashed off. There was no time to be wasted with the lives of his two friends at stake. Not much can be said besides his regret that Drew didn't come along. "Forget Drew! I'll save May and Misty by myself!"

With so much going through the boy's head, time running passed by fairly quickly as Ash tried to keep up with Pikachu's speed. It wasn't long until he reached a high point in the peaks, and he heard the familiar chirping noise of the baby Pokemon, followed by a distinct grabbed Pikachu and hid behind a near by boulder.

"Argh you little beast!" shouted a female voice. From hiding Ash saw a blond girl fidgeting with Misty's Togepi, as if trying to catch it. Being Togepi, it was like a little ball of mischief.

"It's Togepi," Ash said in a whisper. The blond girl was in some type of dark fitting uniform with a red capital R on her shirt. "Can she see Pokemon, too?"

"Pikachu..." Pikachu said in worry, his ears lowering.

The girl didn't look like one of the good guys to him either. "Pikachu attack!" With no second thought Pikachu jumped up from above the boulder and stuck the blond girl with a high voltage thunderbolt attack. The girl of course took it bad and was dropped to the ground like a dead fly. The attack itself wouldn't have killed her of course, but it should've knocked her out long enough for something.

"Good job, Pikachu!" shouted Ash, running out of hiding. He scooped up Togepi who ran up to him and he grinned in satisfaction. "Togepi, you alright there buddy?"

Instead Togepi began a series of chirps while pointing a small stubby arm towards another large boulder. Pikachu with his teeth grabbed Misty's bag hanging from Ash's pocket and ran to the same boulder. "Pika pika! Pika Pikachu!"

"Misty? Misty and May are in there!" Ash said in realization. At that instant he began to try and push it, with help from Pikachu and Togepi. He groaned, shifting his whole weight against the giant rock. "It won't budge," he grumbled, beginning to hit his fist on it. "Misty! May! Guys answer me!"

My head was dropping tiredly in front of me as a faint sound echoed throughout the cave. Air was running thin and May was in a better condition than me. I needed my medication, now. But I did my bet to keep my tiny glimmer of hope.

"Misty! May! Someone answer me!"

"What... what's that sound...?" I drawled weakly, doing my best to stay awake.

"It, it sounds like Ash," May said with slightly better enthusiasm. "Ash! Ash are you out there!"

"Yeah it's me!" Ash yelled back. "Is Misty in there with you?"

"Yeah she's here, but you've gotta get us out quick! Misty needs help!" At that very mention Ash tried even harder to push the boulder again.

Meanwhile, the electrified blond groaned quietly, lifting up upper torso up. "It's this kid," she muttered under her breath, reaching into her pocket and taking out a red and white ball, pressing a button and enlarging it. "Skarmory go!" Throwing the ball up, a light emitted from inside. Ash turned around hearing the sound. And before him and the two smaller Pokemon, a large steel-like bird emerged from the short light. The girl smirked and stood back up.

"What is that?" Ash said with wide eyes.

The girl scoffed. "Funny. You can't even figure out what a Skarmory is."

"A what?"

She closed her eyes with her everlasting smirk, pulling out a black rose. "My name is Domino. And nonetheless, I better dispose of you now while I can. If anything I learned it wasn't to underestimate _you_. Skarmory use Steel Wing!"

The steel bird flew up until its wings glowed a bright light. "So it's a Pokemon?" Ash exclaimed as the bird flew down at him. Bracing himself along with the two Pokemon beside him, the attack was suddenly subdued. Hearing a high brush of wind Ash looked up to see May's Beautifly using its wings to blow some kind of strong gust. And in the side was Drew. "Drew?"

"At least _try_ to fight back," Drew said, only angering Ash. But either way both boys went to face the girl, ready for a battle.

"So, what're you doing here anyway?"

"I saw an explosion from the window. Knowing you were up here, I figured you must've screwed up."

"Hey not every explosion's caused by me. I bet that was because of Togepi!"

"Don't tell me they're arguing," May swetadropped from inside the cave.

"Use Steel Wing again!" the girl Domino commanded. The assumed-Pokemon Skarmory darted down at the two boys and everyone in the way dodged. A huge crash in front of the boulder came and light entered the small space inside.

"Pikachu use Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted.

"Thunderbolt?" Drew repeated with a look.

"What? It's better than saying 'Pikachu electrify her'." Shortly afterwards Pikachu jumped into the air and a shot of electricity was aimed at Skarmory, shooting it down with some damage. "I'll hold Domino off. You go inside and get May and Misty. Use Beautifly for cover."

Drew nodded and hurriedly ran towards the cave's entrance as Ash let out more electric attacks in a Pokemon Battle against the enemy. "May! Misty! Where are you guys!" Drew called, persistently looking through the darkness.

"We're over here!" May quickly responded, still sitting tied back to back with me who was, by now, unconscious.

"What happened to you guys," Drew said, untying the ropes with Beautifly hovering over them.

"Some thugs came and put us in here," May grumbled, trying to struggle out. "Where's Togepi?"

"With Ash outside," Drew said, having a difficult time with untying the ropes. Eventually he used the smart way of getting through ropes and got out a pocket knife to try and cut them. "Is Misty alright?"

"Probably just fainted from exhaustion. But we better get her help as soon as possible."

"Yeah once we can help ourselves out of this mountain first. There's this girl out there battling Ash with another Pokemon."

"What?"

"Use Thunderbolt again!" Ash repeated, Pikachu repeating the same attack. By now the Skarmory became immune to the said attack.

Domino chuckled, a gloved hand resting on her hip. "You honestly don't think that using the same attack over and over will win you this battle do you?" Frankly, it was the only attack Ash knew, or could come up with. He had no time to wing out different corny names he'd heard form TV or fiction books. And by the looks of it, Pikachu appeared to be getting worn out himself. "Alright Skarmory, let's finish this kid off. Use Air Slash-"

"Absol!" growed a voice. Then before Ash's eyes, as quick as daylight, the speed of a familiar looking white furred creature jujmped from the heights and tackled the flying Skarmory to the ground in a crater of smoke and dust. Taking this oppertunity Ash picked up Pikachu and Togepi and ran to the cave entrance where Drew and May were helping drag out Misty.

"Took you guys long enough-" He saw Misty's eyes closed. "What happened?"

"She fainted," May said as she and Drew went down to lay Misty.

"Did that Domino girl do this to you guys?" Ash asked, not that it really mattered at the moment.

May looked up seeing a blond short haired girl. But she glared. "No, I don't recognize her. But" May narrowed her eyes in a way she never has before. She's givin looks at Drew and Ash before, but not as menacing as this. "She's wearing the same uniform as those thugs."

"Ab-sol!" With quick agility the creature continued to defeat Skarmory with mere speed. However SKatrmory was persistant, and always appeared to get up and tire out its opponent.

"It's that Absol from your book, Ash," May said in realization. As Ash nodded, Drew couldn't help but stare, as if a familiar longing in him forced him to try and remember something.

"Guess this answers your question as to whose side Absol's on, eh Drew?" Ash noticed Drew stand up, and begin to walk forward.

"Drew where're you going!-" Ash held May back as they kept a watch on Misty and the Pokemon.

Absol kept steady breaths in battle. However its sight darted towards Drew, and in an instant projected Drew from an incoming attack by Skarmory, as Drew predicted. "I know you," Drew said under his breath, watching Absol keep Skarmory at bay. "I know you," he repeated. "Just how..."

"I'm through with these kids!" the blond shouted in aggrivation. "Air Slash!"

"Counter with Hyper Beam!" Drew shouted suddenly. As Skarmory flew towards Drew and the Absol, a ball of light slowly formed in Absol's mouth. May nad Ash watched in sheer desperation and fear as the climax og the battle came close. It was at that last minute Absol let loose a powerful light from its mouth, a beam so great Skarmory hit the base of a mountain producing a few cracks as it slid to the ground, defeated at last.

Domino grimaced. "You haven't seen the last of me." Taking out the strange red and white ball a red light enveloped the defeated Skarmory until it disappeared into the ball. And with another black rose thrown to the ground, in a puff of smoke, the blond girl in black was gone.

Drew let out a breath as Absol looked at him. "That was close."

"DREW YOU IDIOT!" May yelled at the top of her lungs, running over to him in anger. "Next time you enganer your life make sure I'm not around otherwise I will!"

"Oh I save your life and you lecture me? Typical."

"What the heck's that supposed to mean you jerk?"

"And now I'm a jerk."

"You heard me rich boy I called you a _JERK_!"

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

It didn't take very long for me to realize I was in a bed. At that realization I sat up instantly, only to find myself regretting that decision. I felt a strong burn on my stomach, and I realized there were some bandages there. '_From the rope_,' I remembered. So, it really wasn't a dream. Togepi slept soundly beside me in my bed.

"I see someone's finally awake," said my grandmother, walking into the room.

"How long have I been out?" I asked first and foremost.

"About an hour or more," she replied. "You didn't take your medication."

"I know," I said disappointingly. "How idiotic. I almost died because I forgot to take some stupid pill."

"And you would've if your friends hadn't brought you here."

I gasped and brought my head up. "They don't know about the medicine do they?"

"No, they merely thought you fainted from exhaustion," she aid, calming my nerves. "How long are you willing to keep this a secret, Misty?"

"As long as I can, I guess," I said, bringing up my legs to hug them. "You know more than everyone how I can't let _them_ know about my illness. It'd ruin the whole vacation."

"I don't think we can call this a vacation anymore, Misty," smiled my grandmother, making me smile a little too at the corner of my mouth. "Ash is waiting in the living room, you know."

"He is?"

"Yes. He's been here ever since he and your two other friends brought you in. He insisted he be here when you were awake. He wanted to make sure you were alright."

I smiled blushingly as I buried my chin in my knees. Then I began to stand up. "I should go see him; thank him."

"You go do that," encouraged my grandma as I rushed myself out the room. I found myself still a little sore from the ropes that held me for so many hours, but I managed. A little dizziness was left behind from my fainting episode.

Ash was in the living room, just like grandmother said. He waited patiently all this time. Finally realizing someone had entered the room he picked his head up and saw me. "Misty you're alright!" he grinned, instantly cheered up.

"I'm up," I smiled as he came over to me.

"May and Drew went out with the Pokemon to pick up some food for all of us. They said they'll be back," Ash informed. I nodded. "So uh, you feelin' better? Nothing broken or anything?"

"I'm fine, really," I said, laughing a little at his concern, not that I wasn't grateful.

"There is some good that came out of this though."

"Oh really."

The two of us stepped out of the house and outside onto the wooden stairs to sit. "Yeah. Remember that Absol I told you about a while back? Turns out it was a Pokemon after all. After the bad guy left, Drew somehow ended up keeping him somehow."

"So Drew's found Absol."

"What do you mean _found Absol_. Technically I found him first in that book."

"I didn't mean literally finding him, Ash," I said with a face. "I mean think about it. I found Togepi, you found Pikachu, May found Beautily, and Drew found Absol. And in a way, it's like, we all have some sort of connection with these Pokemon..." Ash thought about what I said. It made some sense. But I quickly replaced my curious look with a smile. "Oh forget what I'm saying. I'm probably still a little out of it after being stuck in that cave for so long."

"Hello Misty, Ash," said a voice. We looked up and saw Solidad, Drew's sister.

"Solidad?" I asked. "No offence but, what are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry for intruding unexpected," she apologized with a faint smile. "Is Drew here by any chance?"

"Um, no he and May went out to pick up some food why?" Ash said. He remembered the big argument Drew and Soledad had earlier back at their mansion.

"I'm just expecting him back home. Something came up and he's needed," Soledad replied.

"What for?" Ash asked, only for me to elbow him. Can't he see it's a private family thing?

"No reason," Soledad said with a convincing grin, holding her hands up. All of a sudden a running yellow Pokemon began to run to up them, Pikachu tackling Ash down on the porch from his seat. As he fell back, I jumped, knowing from Soledad's point of view this looked kind of strange. I mean duh, she can't see Pikachu, so it looks like Ash just fell back out of no where.

"Hehe don't worry about him," I said with a wave and a nervous glint in my eyes. "Ash just has spazz attacks sometimes. You know, boys." I could feel Ash send me a silent glare.

"Uh, whatever you say, Misty," Soledad said, getting ready to head back to her home. "Just give Drew the message will you?"

"Will do, Soledad, will do," I waved as Ash finally sat back up, holding Pikachu who looked just as embarrassed with his sheepish smile.

"Hey guys," greeted May's voice. Up in the path we saw May and Drew coming back Drew holding a small paper bag. All the Pokemon were with them, save for Pikachu who had come running before. "There you are, Pikachu. He ran off playing tag."

"Figures," Ash said, fixing his hat and taking it off.

"So, this is Absol?" I asked as the furry Pokemon walked up to me. I hesitantly petted it. His coat was soft and flawless.

"Yup," Drew nodded, still holding the paper bag in his arm. "No on else in the market could see him, so he must be a Pokemon."

"What'cha got there?" I asked, looking at his bag.

"We only had enough money for some cold buns from the bakery," May said, petting her Beautifly. "Come on. We can heat them up inside. You two wait out here," she instructed to the boys. Grabbing the paper bag from Drew I stood up and we ran into my house, leaving the boys and the Pokemon.

"So she's up and running already?" Drew asked with a face.

"Surprisingly yeah," Ash said. "Oh and Soledad came by just a while ago."

"She did?" Drew asked, a little to quickly after Ash mentioned it. He realized his mistake. "What's she say?"

Ash blinked. "She's, just looking for you I guess - says you're needed at home or something."

"Oh," Drew said, placing his hands in his pockets. "Never mind."

"Is there something I should know? You know I'm always the last to know these kinda things."

"Don't worry about it. Just family business," Drew responded. He watched Beautifly play with Pikachu as Absol watched from a distance. "Hey Ash."

"Hm?"

"You have that special bond with Pikachu, don't you?" Drew asked as he watched the Pokemon. "Why is that?"

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"Even though it hasn't been very long, you two act like you've been best friends for years," Drew pointed out. "And that Thunderbolt attack."

"What about it?"

"You say you just thought of it," Drew told in a serious tone. "You _knew_it. And Pikachu knew it too. Same thing with Absol and me when I called out Hyper Beam."

"Hyper Beam. That sounds cool. It looked pretty powerful, too, up in the High Peaks."

"But that's the thing, Ash," Drew said, looking to his long time companion. "I don't know how I knew that attack. Are there more? Are Pokemon capable of things we don't even know yet? Heck, even Misty's Togepi can cause an explosion." Ash recalled that moment back at the harbor. He swallowed. "How _do_ we know these things?"

"Maybe we all just clicked or something?" Ash guessed. "It can happen. Just like all of us. When we all met when we were little."

"You sure about that, Ash?" Drew said skeptically.

"You take things too seriously, my friend," Ash said, coming up and slinging his arm over Drew's shoulders. "Listen, let's just focus on finding all the other Pokemon. If anything comes up, we'll deal with it then."

"So you're saying procrastinate."

"Hey I've done it before. Seems to work for me," Ash said. "Come on, the day's near end, we have food, let's just enjoy the peace while we can. Heaven knows tomorrow's gonna be a pain in the-"

"We got food!" May announced, walking out of the house with Misty and a plate full of six small hot buns from the market steam rising up from the bread.

"Awesome this looks great," Ash grinned, not hesitating to take one from the plate. I took one too.

"Here Drew take one," May said, coming over with a bun in a napkin.

"I'm fine. I need to get home," Drew said, walking back towards town. Absol went to follow.

May's eyes widened. "What? Hey you're just ditching us again!"

"Like you're surprised?" Drew said back with a hand in the air behind him. He disappeared soon enough.

May steamed. "I hate you!"

I smiled. "Those two."

"Yup," Ash nodded with a tired face. "Hey Misty. Remember what you were saying earlier, about connections with the Pokemon?"

"You're still on about that?"

"No I was just wondering," Ash pouted with a turn of his head. I waited for him to continue. "You know what never mind!" he said, quickly stuffing himself. I laughed as May continued to yell out at Drew's shrinking figure on the horizon. Another productive day.

'_I'm pretty lucky aren't I_.' I remembered earlier when May suggested we all go to the beach one day in the city. '_Maybe one day_...'

Meanwhile, off in a farther away location, a train rallied through the country side, a dark haired girl sitting in a seat reading a magazine to pass the time. Her bag beside her was all she carried. "Don't worry Misty, I'm coming."

**

* * *

**

**Finally, another chapter. **

**Long time since I've update. I apologize, again. ****Another long chapter, by accident of course. But I felt lazy about cutting the whole thing into two parts.  
Anyway, what was in the letter Solidad gave to Drew? And who's the mystery girl at the end of the chapter? Heh, hopefully I'll update again before school starts. I hate how it's half-way through August and I didn't even notice until this morning. **

**The Pokemon Record by now:  
1. Togepi - Normal type- Owner Misty  
2. Pikachu - Electric Type -Owner Ash  
3. Beautifly - Bug Type - Owner May  
4. Absol - Dark Type - Owner Drew  
5. ?**

**Yup, I'm gonna keep this chart.**

Later everyone! Review please!


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